HIGH VOLTAGE ROCKETDYNE A POWER IN SPACE.Byline: Gregory J. Wilcox Staff Writer CANOGA PARK - When the space shuttle space shuttle, reusable U.S. space vehicle. Developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), it consists of a winged orbiter, two solid-rocket boosters, and an external tank. program's 100th mission thunders into space - hopefully Thursday - it will carry a vital component for the International Space Station developed in part in the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. . Stowed in space shuttle Discovery's cargo bay will be the backbone of the electrical power system designed and developed by Boeing Co.'s Rocketdyne Power & Propulsion unit in Canoga Park. It's a critical mission, since the Rocketdyne equipment will power the space station's life-support systems. ``This is really an exciting time for Rocketdyne here in the Valley,'' said company spokesman Dan Beck. The company is no stranger to the shuttle program, having built the spaceship's main engines that have powered every launch since the first one in 1981. For the next flight the power components have been fitted into what the National Aeronautics and Space Administration National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), civilian agency of the U.S. federal government with the mission of conducting research and developing operational programs in the areas of space exploration, artificial satellites (see satellite, artificial), calls the Z-1 Integrated Truss Structure The Integrated Truss Structure forms the backbone of the International Space Station, with mountings for unpressurized logistics carriers, radiators, solar arrays, and other equipment. , a massive, complicated piece of equipment. The structure will be hoisted into place aboard the shuttle's robot arm and then astronauts working in space will attach it to the station. Rocketdyne's equipment also includes radiators that will cool the electrical equipment A piece of electrical equipment is a machine, powered by electricity and usually consists of an enclosure, a variety of electrical components and often a power switch. Examples of Electrical Equipment
When completed in 2005 the station will contain hundreds of components developed in the Valley. Steve Genstil, director of safety and mission assurance for Rocketdyne, said the space station project is generating about 40,000 jobs in 20 states. There are 44 suppliers based in the Valley, 130 in Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, and 152 across the state. Together it's about $1 billion worth of contract work. ``It's a significant contribution in terms of the number of dollars and suppliers,'' he said. The $10 billion space station project is the largest cooperative program The Cooperative Program is a unified funds collection program of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) designed to support SBC seminaries, mission agencies and denominational ministries. in history and involves 15 nations. When it's finished and orbiting Earth from 220 miles above, the station will measure 365 feet by 290 feet, contain six labs, house seven astronauts and be the brightest object, next to the moon, in the night sky. It will average 100 kilowatts of power - enough juice to power 75 homes, noted Edward W. Gholdston, a Boeing manager who is delighted to be working on the project. ``Lots of people in this day and age have jobs they don't like but the people working on the space station really love it,'' he said. CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1 -- color) A mock-up mock·up also mock-up n. 1. A usually full-sized scale model of a structure, used for demonstration, study, or testing. 2. A layout of printed matter. of the Z-1 Integrated Truss Structure, which will serve as the backbone of the electrical power system for the International Space Station, sits on the grounds of Boeing Co.'s Rocketdyne Power & Propulsion unit in Canoga Park. (2 -- color) Howard Oliver, center, explains the functions of the Space Electronics Test Facility at the Boeing plant in Canoga Park. Michael Owen Baker/Staff Photographer |
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