On Sunday, November 2, 2014 1:51:46 PM UTC-6, Jerry Stuckle wrote:

No, I don't think any part of the ISS is in "constant shadow". I
believe it rotates as it orbits the earth, and different parts of it are
in the shade at different times. I could be wrong, though - I've never
been there

Hard to say.. Some parts away from the sun may stay dark during a
daylight pass, but they may be lit on other passes, depending on
the direction and angles to the sun. I suspect they want to keep the
solar panels towards the sun as much as possible, but the panels
themselves may be steerable to some degree.
I've never been there in person, but I've been there via camera
on many an orbit. Watching the planet from that platform can be
good wholesome entertainment for the whole family.

The station itself does not really appear to roll at all.
Or at least that can be detected on a lit pass, and using the
earth as a "roll indicator" of sorts.

But anyone can watch for themselves as long as they are in
contact, and not on a nighttime pass. The cameras they are using
don't seem to be too sensitive at night. IE: I hardly ever notice
the lights below on a dark pass. Of course, they zip around the
planet in about 90 minutes time.. So quite a few chances during a
day to see what parts of the station are lit, and which are not.
Some cameras, like the one I'm watching right now do not show the
station at all, while the one they were using a few minutes ago did.
At this moment they are fixing to pass into darkness over the Atlantic.

http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/HDEV/
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/iss-hdev-payload

On 11/2/2014 4:17 PM, wrote:
On Sunday, November 2, 2014 1:51:46 PM UTC-6, Jerry Stuckle wrote:

No, I don't think any part of the ISS is in "constant shadow". I
believe it rotates as it orbits the earth, and different parts of it are
in the shade at different times. I could be wrong, though - I've never
been there

Hard to say.. Some parts away from the sun may stay dark during a
daylight pass, but they may be lit on other passes, depending on
the direction and angles to the sun. I suspect they want to keep the
solar panels towards the sun as much as possible, but the panels
themselves may be steerable to some degree.
I've never been there in person, but I've been there via camera
on many an orbit. Watching the planet from that platform can be
good wholesome entertainment for the whole family.


I also don't know how steerable the solar panels are - but I would
expect them to be somewhat steerable. It wouldn't make a lot of sense
to keep having to adjust the position of the entire ISS to keep the
panels aimed at the sun.

The station itself does not really appear to roll at all.
Or at least that can be detected on a lit pass, and using the
earth as a "roll indicator" of sorts.


But if it keeps one direction pointed towards Earth, then it has to roll
- one rotation per orbit. Which means the solar panels have to be
steerable to some extent for maximum power.

But anyone can watch for themselves as long as they are in
contact, and not on a nighttime pass. The cameras they are using
don't seem to be too sensitive at night. IE: I hardly ever notice
the lights below on a dark pass. Of course, they zip around the
planet in about 90 minutes time.. So quite a few chances during a
day to see what parts of the station are lit, and which are not.
Some cameras, like the one I'm watching right now do not show the
station at all, while the one they were using a few minutes ago did.
At this moment they are fixing to pass into darkness over the Atlantic.

http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/HDEV/
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/iss-hdev-payload


--
==================
Remove the "x" from my email address
Jerry Stuckle

==================

Jerry Stuckle wrote in news:m36bbu$pou$1@dont-
email.me:

I also don't know how steerable the solar panels are - but I would
expect them to be somewhat steerable.

That;s something I did see once, I think on a BBC article. They are a bit
like louvre windows, fairly limited movement of each panel on its own axis,
but enoughm given the gaps between their edges. And I think an entire branch
array can be rotated on its own axis too, but I'm less sure about that bit.

Jerry Stuckle wrote:
On 11/2/2014 4:17 PM, wrote:
On Sunday, November 2, 2014 1:51:46 PM UTC-6, Jerry Stuckle wrote:

No, I don't think any part of the ISS is in "constant shadow". I
believe it rotates as it orbits the earth, and different parts of it are
in the shade at different times. I could be wrong, though - I've never
been there

Hard to say.. Some parts away from the sun may stay dark during a
daylight pass, but they may be lit on other passes, depending on
the direction and angles to the sun. I suspect they want to keep the
solar panels towards the sun as much as possible, but the panels
themselves may be steerable to some degree.
I've never been there in person, but I've been there via camera
on many an orbit. Watching the planet from that platform can be
good wholesome entertainment for the whole family.


I also don't know how steerable the solar panels are - but I would
expect them to be somewhat steerable. It wouldn't make a lot of sense
to keep having to adjust the position of the entire ISS to keep the
panels aimed at the sun.

The station itself does not really appear to roll at all.
Or at least that can be detected on a lit pass, and using the
earth as a "roll indicator" of sorts.


But if it keeps one direction pointed towards Earth, then it has to roll
- one rotation per orbit. Which means the solar panels have to be
steerable to some extent for maximum power.

But anyone can watch for themselves as long as they are in
contact, and not on a nighttime pass. The cameras they are using
don't seem to be too sensitive at night. IE: I hardly ever notice
the lights below on a dark pass. Of course, they zip around the
planet in about 90 minutes time.. So quite a few chances during a
day to see what parts of the station are lit, and which are not.
Some cameras, like the one I'm watching right now do not show the
station at all, while the one they were using a few minutes ago did.
At this moment they are fixing to pass into darkness over the Atlantic.

http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/HDEV/
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/iss-hdev-payload

The ISS rolls once per orbit keeping a constant attitude toward Earth.

http://www.collectspace.com/ubb/Foru...ML/001224.html



--
Jim Pennino

On Sunday, November 2, 2014 4:31:36 PM UTC-6, Jerry Stuckle wrote:

But if it keeps one direction pointed towards Earth, then it has to roll
- one rotation per orbit. Which means the solar panels have to be
steerable to some extent for maximum power.

I'd have to watch a few full passes to see.. They have multiple
cameras aimed in different directions, so I'm not sure if they
actually roll once an orbit or not. For some reason, I'm thinking
they don't.. Mainly because I don't recall the shuttle as rolling
during orbits. They always flew upside down and maybe even backwards
in orbit, with the cargo bays aimed at the planet. I think anyway..
I'd have to look into that more. Some cameras seem to aim forward,
and some backwards like you are watching out the back of an old nine
passenger station wagon. :|

On 11/2/2014 6:31 PM, wrote:
On Sunday, November 2, 2014 4:31:36 PM UTC-6, Jerry Stuckle wrote:

But if it keeps one direction pointed towards Earth, then it has to roll
- one rotation per orbit. Which means the solar panels have to be
steerable to some extent for maximum power.

I'd have to watch a few full passes to see.. They have multiple
cameras aimed in different directions, so I'm not sure if they
actually roll once an orbit or not. For some reason, I'm thinking
they don't.. Mainly because I don't recall the shuttle as rolling
during orbits. They always flew upside down and maybe even backwards
in orbit, with the cargo bays aimed at the planet. I think anyway..
I'd have to look into that more. Some cameras seem to aim forward,
and some backwards like you are watching out the back of an old nine
passenger station wagon. :|

If the shuttle always faced the cargo bays toward the earth that means
they had to turn once per orbit. Same reason why the solar day is not
the same length as the sidereal day.

--

Rick

On 11/2/2014 6:31 PM, wrote:
On Sunday, November 2, 2014 4:31:36 PM UTC-6, Jerry Stuckle wrote:

But if it keeps one direction pointed towards Earth, then it has to roll
- one rotation per orbit. Which means the solar panels have to be
steerable to some extent for maximum power.

I'd have to watch a few full passes to see.. They have multiple
cameras aimed in different directions, so I'm not sure if they
actually roll once an orbit or not. For some reason, I'm thinking
they don't.. Mainly because I don't recall the shuttle as rolling
during orbits. They always flew upside down and maybe even backwards
in orbit, with the cargo bays aimed at the planet. I think anyway..
I'd have to look into that more. Some cameras seem to aim forward,
and some backwards like you are watching out the back of an old nine
passenger station wagon. :|



Which means it rolls once per orbit. Otherwise it wouldn't be able to
keep the same side facing the earth.

--
==================
Remove the "x" from my email address
Jerry, AI0K

==================

On Sunday, November 2, 2014 6:51:50 PM UTC-6, Jerry Stuckle wrote:

Which means it rolls once per orbit. Otherwise it wouldn't be able to
keep the same side facing the earth.



I'll take you all's word for it.. I was pondering it as you
would a matchbox car rolling across a globe.. ??
If it's rolling, it must be real slow about it, as it's not
really detectable on the cameras.

wrote in news:1577cbdf-79d6-47c9-a8a5-
:

If it's rolling, it must be real slow about it, as it's not
really detectable on the cameras.


That could be a perspective thing, because the drift you'd see is the same
drift a brain will expect if it tries to point one part 'up' with respect to
Earth. While the brain lockes on to that, it won't see the drift in sun angle
any different from how it looks on Earth. It may be that despite happenign a
lot more times per day, this is a psychological benefit to astronauts, and
may be one reason for the decision to do it that way. Other schemes may be
more disorienting. An astronaut at rest, looking out of the biggest window up
there, can feel like they're flying in a fairly conventional way. At least,
all the ones I've heard speak of it say it feels very restful, natural, and
it's apparently a popular place to be.

On 11/3/2014 12:07 PM, wrote:
On Sunday, November 2, 2014 6:51:50 PM UTC-6, Jerry Stuckle wrote:

Which means it rolls once per orbit. Otherwise it wouldn't be able to
keep the same side facing the earth.



I'll take you all's word for it.. I was pondering it as you
would a matchbox car rolling across a globe.. ??
If it's rolling, it must be real slow about it, as it's not
really detectable on the cameras.


Take an experiment. Go to your dining room table, opposite the door to
the kitchen. Face the table (and the kitchen door).

Now, walk around the table, trying to keep facing the table without
rotating your body. You can't do it.

The ISS is the same. You don't see the rotation because the ISS is
stationary (rotation-wise) relative to the earth, and you are observing
the earth. But if the cameras were pointed into space, you would see
the stars move as the ISS rotates.

The moon is the same way. It makes a complete rotation once every
orbit, thereby keeping the same face pointed at the earth.

--
==================
Remove the "x" from my email address
Jerry Stuckle

==================