Got computer?

Today's sim duty took me to Building 5, to the Space Station Training Facility. Building 5 is a fairly large, featureless building that seems to have been molded by the same architect that designed the Mission Control Center. The SSTF itself is on the second floor and consists of a training room, which holds the simulation team and a lot of computers. These machines show the status of both the vehicle simulators (which are outside, in a large open area), and of the virtual machines that make up the "world" with which the simulators interact. The computers also allow the simulation team to manipulate that world, for example, to fail a particular piece of equipment.

I was there to support some Russian folks who are at JSC learning the ropes of the training business, U.S.-style. It was a pretty challenging assignment up until a computer glitch caused a one-hour delay in the sim. After the computers were recovered and the system transitioned to the "run combined" mode (meaning that the simulated world was in synch with the equipment being operated by the flight team and the crew), things went pretty quiet until the end of the day. Still, it was a hard 10-hour day.

Today happened to be the very last day of training for the second station crew before they go into the quarantine phase of the so-called "health stabilization program." From today until launch - which is scheduled for March 8 - the only people allowed to come into contact with the crew will be those who have undergone special HSP physicals from the flight surgeons. The idea, of course, is to eliminate the prospect of a crew member getting sick on orbit. The photo shows, from left to right, flight engineer Jim Voss, commander Yuri Usachev, the Station Training Lead (in the red shirt with his back to the camera), and flight engineer Susan Helms (standing behind the STL). I've had the pleasure of working with both Voss and Usachev, and they are both fine fellows.

There is yet another sim tomorrow, in the same facility. Got to be there earlier, though, so it's going to be a go-to-sleep-early night again tonight. That, plus I have a translation to do in my copious "spare" time. Ye gods.

Keep your knees loose, gang.

Cheers...