DECOMMISSIONINGOFTHESIMULATIONWATERTANK(WETS)ATJAXATSUKUBASPACECENTER

S086#456 KazuhitoShimadaJapanAerospaceExplorationAgency(JAXA)TsukubaSpaceCenter,Japan

IntroductionTheExtraVechicularActivity(EVA)simulationpoolWETS(WeightlessEnvironmentTestSystem)waslocatedatTsukubaSpaceCenter.ItwasbuilttosupportdesignverificationofJapaneseExperimentalModule(JEM)fortheInternationalSpaceStation(ISS).

ConstructionTheWETSbuildingandasteelwatertankwithadiameterof16mwasbuiltin19931994 .JEMsEVAinterfacetestwascollaterallystartedin1991atNASANBSpoolatHuntsville,USA.

Fig.2 Constructionofthefacility19931994

Fig.1TsukubaSpaceCenter

OperationTestsubjectsinEVAwatersuit, inhistory,were3engineers(Iwai,Kaito,Ootsubo)and17astronauts(Barry,Chiao,Doi,Furukawa,Hoshide,Jones,Lee,Mohri,Noguchi,Parazynski,Ross,Tani,Tanner,Wakata,Walheim,Wolf,&Yamazaki).Fifteensessions,includingtestsforHTVcargovehiclewereconductedduring19962005.Examplesofsupporthardwareareshownin.

(cont.)

50kmnortheastofTokyocenter

WETS

(A)JAXAFieldCenters

(B)TsukubaSpaceCenteraerial

(A)Forthesafetyof4,000tonofwaterinanearthquake,highdensitypilingwasconducted.

(B)A16mdiameter,10.5mwaterdeeptankwasplacedsemiunderground.

(C)Twotonairdrivencranecarriedmockupsfromthegroundlevelintothewater.

Fig.3 WETSfacility

(A)Control Roomwith a medical officer

(B)AGA mask dummy of EVA suit

(C) Monoplace hyperbaric chambertemporary installed. Transportable, air pressurized, oxygen mask.

88thAnnualScientificMeetingoftheAerospaceMedicalAssociation:4May2017:SheratonDenverDowntownHotel,Denver,Colorado,USA

Fig.4 WETSwatertankandJEMmockup.

Fig.7 Tankdeformationandpipeboltextractions.Earthquakedamage.Ittook3daysforthewatertodrain.

DisclosureInformation88th AnnualScientificMeeting

KazuhitoShimadaIhavenofinancialrelationshipstodisclose.Ihavenoofflabeluseand/orinvestigationaluseinmypresentation.

2011earthquake

March11,2011quakebrokelooseanexternalwatercirculationpipecoupling;waterlevelcametothebottom .Althoughdeformationofthetankwasminor,assessmentledtoitsremoval.

Dismantling

February2012sawtheremovalactionwhichtooktwoweeks.

Future

Withsuchaheavyloadfloor,thebuildingissuitableforanythingthatusesheavymachinery,likeacentrifuge.

Fig.10 ex.mockupstagingareaCurrentlyatemporaryextensionofastronautgym.

boltextractions

tankdeformations

Fig.6 MultiplacechamberwithTable6Acapability.Tofulfilla5mintopressAGEcaserequirement,adoublelockchamberwasinstalledwith3+2aviatormaskswithexhaustline,anoxygendrivenrespiratorandanEKGleadbox.

Fig.5 DiverteamonExposedFacilitymockup.

(cont.)Mockupswerehoistedintowater,thenairSCUBAdiversassembledthem.Suitedtestsubjects(oneortwo)weresupportedeachby2safetydivers,2utilitydiverswithwrench,and1to3video/stillcameradivers,inadditionto2supervisordiversatwatersurface.

Fig.8 FarewellceremonyTwohyperbaricphysicians(authorwiththeyellowhelmet).

Fig.9 Vacancyafterthedemolition.Pileswereleftintheground.

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