- #1
Dear viewers of the Science 2.0 channel, today I would like to tell
you about the electricity system of the station.
- #2
I don't think we've talked about this yet, I hope it will be interesting.
- #3
Besides that, you have a unique opportunity to see how space plumbing works.
- #4
Mikhail Kornienko will show what is hidden behind the panels
of living and scientific modules.
- #5
You will see what cosmonauts read, and discover
what else they can occupy themselves with during the flight.
- #6
Naturally, the ISS cannot function without Earth.
- #7
Transport and cargo ships deliver everything necessary, but when it comes to electricity,
the station is self-sufficient.
- #8
The sole source of energy for the large orbital complex is the Sun.
- #9
Electricity systems (SAP) consist of solar panels, as you know, that
are situated on top of the Russian and American segments.
- #10
And batteries that accumulate energy for when we are in the shadow,
- #11
so when in the Sun, the solar panels transfer energy to the batteries, and
they activate when we are in the shade.
- #12
American solar panels. There are four of these overall.
- #13
So two of them are face down.
- #14
Alas the camera can't capture everything. There's a bit of an American radiator,
and SM's solar panel.
- #15
They are turned away from us, soaking up the Sun currently.
- #16
Once again, SM's panels.
- #17
From a different angle.
- #18
We've entered the daylight, so now the panels
are actively generating energy for the batteries.
- #19
We're seeing a Russian segment laptop which we use to give commands to different systems.
- #20
I've opened up the SAP program right now.
- #21
The so-called SAP SOSP, which we use to manually adjust the panels.
- #22
It's one of the methods of manual control in an otherwise automatic procedure.
- #23
Usually it's either the Earth or auto-mode, but there is
a reserve possibility of crew control.
- #24
Now we will once again look at American panels, but
from inside the SO-1 module that is almost ready for the exit.
- #25
We're going to the porthole.
- #26
As far as possible, here they are.
- #27
American solar panels, most of the energy comes from them
because they have the biggest surface area.
- #28
And partially, energy comes from the SM panels, as I've said before.
- #29
As you understand, the station is moving in orbit,
and during this time the angular position of the station is changing.
- #30
That is, solar panels should track the Sun, be at 90 degrees to the Sun's rays.
- #31
The orientation system of solar panels is engaged in this matter.
- #32
We call it SOSP in short, an abbreviation.
- #33
It works from DCS, sun monitoring sensors,
or from a motion and navigation control system
- #34
according to the target indications of this system.
- #35
As a last resort, the crew has the opportunity
to manually set the batteries to the desired position
- #36
with the help of a control laptop. There is a special format
that I have already shown you.
- #37
That is, the system is quite simple and reliable.
- #38
The batteries track the Sun at 90 degrees,
they come closer to the sun's rays all the time,
- #39
when possible, of course.
- #40
This energy is converted, the solar energy of photons is converted into electrical energy,
- #41
and transferred to rechargeable batteries, as I already said.
- #42
The total energy of all solar panels, American and Russian,
- #43
allows us to consume energy inside the station,
and we even still get a small supply left.
- #44
As for the area of these batteries, well, you can
- #45
roughly estimate the views that I have already shown you from the portholes,
as far as possible.
- #46
Well, it's a small football field in space that flies with us.
- #47
And now let's look at the batteries of both the Russian and American segments,
- #48
and the batteries of the American ship Signus,
which is now docked to the station, via Cupola.
- #49
Docked to NODE-3.
- #50
I'm going to show you all this now.