The RMS has also acted as an aid to astronauts participating in spacewalks. It has been used as a mobile extension ladder, work station and foot restraint for astronauts working in the payload bay during spacewalks.
Cameras attached to the RMS have also been used to aid astronauts in visual inspections of the payload bay area. The Payload Retention System, which is made up of a wide variety of hardware used to keep payloads secure within the payload bay. The Payload Retention System is designed to provide three-axis support for up to five separate payloads per mission. The Communications System, which consists of all the equipment necessary to support the flow of voice and data transmissions to and from the Orbiter.
The Communications System incorporates a huge and complex network of communications equipment and instrumentation. In addition to allowing both visual and aural communication with the crew, the Communications System supports a constant flow of data regarding the performance of the Orbiter, its systems and its position. The Avionics System, which controls or assists in the control of most Orbiter systems. Primary functions of the Avionics System include automatic determination of Space Shuttle operational readiness, plus sequencing and control of the Solid Rocket Boosters and External Tank during launch and ascent.
The Avionics System also monitors the performance of the Orbiter, supports digital data processing, communications and tracking, payload and system management, guidance, navigation and control, as well as the electrical power distribution for the Orbiter, External Tank and Solid Rocket Boosters. The Avionics System is made up of more than computer black boxes located at various positions in the Orbiter, connected by about miles of electrical wiring. A number of redundant hardware and software back-ups are incorporated within the Avionics System due to its critical nature.
Remarkably, the Avionics System is so complex that it can support fully automatic flight of the Space Shuttle from launch through landing. Although the Space Shuttle is typically guided to the runway manually during landing, the Avionics System can perform all flight functions automatically, with the exception of on-orbit rendezvous.
The Purge, Vent and Drain System, which is designed to produce gas purges that help regulate Orbiter temperature, prevent the accumulation of hazardous gases, vent unpressurized compartments during ascent and re-entry, drain any excess trapped fluids and keep window cavities clear.
The Purge, Vent and Drain System is made up of three separate sets of distribution plumbing located throughout the Orbiter. Purge gas consists of cool, dry air and gaseous nitrogen. Using a number of purge ports and vents, the system maintains constant humidity and temperature and assures that contaminants cannot enter the Orbiter.
The Orbiter Flight Crew Escape System, which is a system designed to allow the crew to escape the Orbiter under a variety of flight situations. The Inflight Crew Escape System, introduced after the Challenger accident, allows the crew to bail out of the Orbiter during flight.
It will not, however, allow the crew to escape under circumstances similar to the Challenger accident. To use this system, the Orbiter must be on a level glide path. The specific scenario under which astronauts might benefit from the Inflight Crew Escape System would be if the Orbiter could for some reason not reach a runway.
Since astronauts might not survive either a water or land ditching of the Orbiter, the Inflight Crew Escape System does provide significant advantages. Using the Inflight Crew Escape System, the astronauts would first blow the side hatch door. They would then deploy an escape pole, which extends from the inside to the outside of the Orbiter.
The astronauts would then each use hardware attached to their space suits to slide along the escape pole, then parachute to safety. Should the astronauts need to escape the Orbiter after performing a landing, an Emergency Egress Slide can be deployed out the side hatch after the hatch is blown or opened manually. Secondary Emergency Egress is provided by blowing the left overhead window, after which hardware allows astronauts to be safely lowered to the ground.
The Space Shuttle Orbiter has proven itself to be a versatile, reliable vehicle capable of carrying out a number of tasks.
Employing a payload bay measuring 60 feet long by 15 feet wide, the Orbiter was designed to carry payloads into space and perform missions at orbital altitudes ranging from to miles. Payload capability averaged about 37, pounds per mission, but under certain conditions heavier payloads could be carried. An Orbiter performing a mission at a lower altitude would be able to carry a heavier payload than one performing a mission at a higher altitude.
Given Space Shuttle performance enhancements like lighter weight External Tanks and improved Main Propulsion System, Space Shuttle payload capability peaked at about 60, pounds. The Orbiter was designed to carry a maximum crew of eight astronauts, although it could carry up to ten astronauts in an emergency. The Orbiter carried all of the supplies and equipment necessary for the crew to perform its mission. The mission duration of the Orbiter was typically seven to nine days, although certain Orbiters were modified to allow missions of up to 16 days.
Combinations of the 38 reaction control thrusters and six vernier thrusters are fired to stabilize the Orbiter during ET separation and helped clear the Orbiter from the ET.
Combinations of the reaction control thrusters and vernier thrusters are also fired to support attitude pitch, roll and yaw maneuvers as the Orbiter continued its ascent after ET separation.
The two orbital maneuvering system engines were then fired to place the Orbiter on its proper orbit. Once the Orbiter reached its proper orbit, the orbital maneuvering system engines could be fired again to support any major velocity maneuvers that became necessary.
Combinations of the reaction control thrusters and vernier thrusters could be fired to support precision operations such as rendezvous and docking operations. Once the mission was completed, the orbital maneuvering system engines were fired to slow the Orbiter in what is called the deorbit burn, or deorbit maneuver.
Once in orbit, the Orbiter travelled at a speed of about 25, feet per second. The deorbit burn decreased the Orbiter speed to about feet per second as it prepared for re-entry. The unpowered Orbiter then re-entered the atmosphere, and is guided to a precision landing like a traditional aircraft. There were three Space Shuttle landing sites available in the United States.
Once on the ground, a number of highly specialized vehicles approached the Orbiter to perform a variety of servicing and safety tasks prior to crew egress. Great care was taken to provide for the safety of the crew and prevent toxic fuels and gases from harming the environment. The Orbiter was then routinely serviced for its next mission in a turnaround that typically took two to three months.
In certain circumstances, the Orbiter was ferry-flown to California for factory modifications or major servicing. In the event an emergency was encountered during flight, the Orbiter had several flight options available. These included:.
This would be followed by an External Tank separation stage, which could not occur until after the Solid Rocket Boosters were jettisoned. Finally, the Orbiter could be maneuvered into a glide stage for a return to the launch site. The TAL abort would also be attempted if an Orbiter system failure prevented any other type of abort. Using the TAL abort, the Orbiter could complete a powered flight on a ballistic path across the Atlantic Ocean, and would then perform a glide landing at a pre-selected runway located in either the city of Moron in Spain, the city of Dakar in Senegal or the city of Ben Guerur in Morocco.
Abort To Orbit ATO , in which the Orbiter could reach a lower, but safe, orbit if a propulsion failure did not allow it to reach its intended orbit. The AOA would be used if a propulsion failure did not allow the Orbiter to maintain any orbit, even one lower than intended.
The AOA would also be used if for some reason a system failure required the Orbiter to land quickly after it reached orbit. For all intents and purposes, an AOA would be performed in a similar manner to a normal re-entry and landing. Contingency Abort, which would be used if the Orbiter could not land on a runway. During a Contingency Abort, the Orbiter would ideally be guided to a safe glide path to allow the astronauts to use the Inflight Crew Escape System. If a safe glide path was not possible, the Orbiter would have to be ditched with the crew aboard.
The Space Shuttle Orbiter has proven itself to be a versatile vehicle, and has supported a number of diverse mission applications. These have included the deployment of a variety of scientific, military and commercial satellites and the deployment of scientific space probes.
A vast number of scientific investigations have been conducted aboard Space Shuttle Orbiters, including those performed inside pressurized laboratory modules housed in the Orbiter payload bay. Many scientific payloads have been carried in the Orbiter payload bay, including free-flying satellites that were deployed and retrieved. Many scientific accomplishments have been made through spacewalks conducted from the Orbiter.
In addition to rehearsing construction techniques for the International Space Station, astronauts have demonstrated that on-orbit repair and maintenance of satellites is possible, as are a number of on-orbit troubleshooting activities.
Space Shuttle Orbiters also have completed an ambitious docking program with the Russian Mir Space Station and the International Space Station, helping to extend an unprecedented continuous U. Each SSME was designed for 7. Throttle commands usually came from general purpose computers aboard the Orbiter.
In an emergency, however, throttle commands could be controlled manually from the flight deck. During ascent, each SSME could be gimbaled plus or minus These operated in conjunction with engine sensors, valve actuators and spark igniters to provide a redundant, self-contained system for monitoring engine control, checkout and status.
In association with general purpose computers aboard the Orbiter, the SSME Main Engine Controllers were able to provide flight readiness verification, engine start and shutdown sequencing, closed-loop thrust and propellant mixture ratio control and sensor operation. The Main Engine Controllers also produced valve actuator and spark igniter control signals, performed engine performance monitoring and limiting functions, responded to Orbiter commands plus transmitted and stored engine status, performance and maintenance data.
Each SSME could be replaced or changed out as necessary. An FRF was typically performed when engines that had never been flown were to be used for the first time during a Space Shuttle mission. It was also the largest element of the Space Shuttle, and provided the structural backbone of the entire system.
The resulting ET was called the Lightweight Tank LWT which was made 10, pounds lighter than the SWT through several methods, including materials and design changes and the use of new fabrication techniques.
Previous versions of the ET were constructed using an aluminum-steel alloy and titanium. In general terms, however, much about all three versions of the ET were identical. Each ET was comprised of a liquid oxygen tank located at the top and a liquid hydrogen tank located at the bottom. The liquid oxygen tank was connected to the liquid hydrogen tank by an intertank, which was located in between the other two.
The intertank was able to absorb and transfer these loads evenly, providing vital structural integrity for the Space Shuttle. The intertank was 22 feet, 6 inches long by 27 feet, 7 inches wide. The liquid oxygen tank was 54 feet, 7 inches long by 27 feet, 7 inches wide and carried , gallons of liquid oxygen weighing 1,, pounds. The liquid hydrogen tank was 96 feet, 8 inches long by 27 feet, 7 inches wide and carried , gallons of liquid hydrogen weighing , pounds.
Fully loaded with a total of 1,, pounds of liquid fuel, the SLWT version of the ET weighed 1,, pounds at liftoff. The space shuttle uses 30 year old technology. Modern rockets have fewer parts and better materials.
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The Space Shuttle Orbiter became a Boeing program in , when the company purchased Rockwell International's aerospace and defense assets. It launched, recovered and repaired satellites and hosted more than 2, scientific experiments. During its 30 years of service, people from 16 countries flew times aboard the shuttles. The first test shuttle, the Enterprise , rolled out Sept. From Jan. The tests showed that the Orbiter could fly in the atmosphere and land like an airplane.
The Enterprise remained a test article. Its legacy of information was incorporated into the next shuttle, the Columbia OV
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