STS-132 press kit cover.indd

MAY 2010

CONTENTS

Section

Page

STS-132/ULF4 MISSION OVERVIEW ......................................................................................

STS-132 TIMELINE OVERVIEW ...............................................................................................

MISSION PROFILE ...................................................................................................................

MISSION OBJECTIVES ............................................................................................................

MISSION PERSONNEL .............................................................................................................

STS-132 CREW .......................................................................................................................

PAYLOAD OVERVIEW ..............................................................................................................

INTEGRATED CARGO CARRIER VERTICAL LIGHT DEPLOY (ICC-VLD) ...................................................

MINI-RESEARCH MODULE-1.................................................................................................................

RENDEZVOUS & DOCKING .......................................................................................................

UNDOCKING, SEPARATION AND DEPARTURE .......................................................................................

SPACEWALKS .........................................................................................................................

EXPERIMENTS .........................................................................................................................

SHORT-DURATION EXPERIMENTS TO BE PERFORMED ON STS-132/ULF4 ............................................

SAMPLES/EXPERIMENTS TO BE RETURNED ON STS-132/ULF4 ............................................................

DETAILED SUPPLEMENTARY OBJECTIVES AND DETAILED TEST OBJECTIVES .......................................

HISTORY OF SPACE SHUTTLE ATLANTIS ................................................................................

SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA ....................................................................................................

LAUNCH AND LANDING ........................................................................................................... 81

LAUNCH ...............................................................................................................................................

ABORT-TO-ORBIT (ATO) ......................................................................................................................

TRANSATLANTIC ABORT LANDING (TAL) .............................................................................................

RETURN-TO-LAUNCH-SITE (RTLS) .......................................................................................................

ABORT ONCE AROUND (AOA) ...............................................................................................................

LANDING .............................................................................................................................................

MAY 2010

MISSION OVERVIEW

STS-132/ULF4 MISSION OVERVIEW

The space shuttle Atlantis’ crew cabin and forward cargo bay are featured in this image

photographed by an STS-129 crew member during the mission’s first session of

extravehicular activity.

The final planned mission of space shuttle
Atlantis is scheduled for 12 days and begins
at 2:20 p.m. EDT on Friday, May 14, with
launch from the Kennedy Space Center. Its
prime payloads destined for the International
Space Station are the second of two Russian
Mini-Research Modules and additional spare
parts, including a set of batteries for the
station’s truss and a high-powered dish
antenna assembly.

After launch on its 32nd mission, Atlantis will
follow the standard two-day rendezvous profile
leading to docking Sunday morning, May 16.
On the way, the six-member crew will power
up the Russian module and devote time
inspecting the shuttle’s Thermal Protection
System for any damage that may have occurred
during launch; check out spacesuits that will be
used during three spacewalks; and test
hardware used to assist with the rendezvous
and docking.

MISSION OVERVIEW

MAY 2010

International Space Station Mass Numbers:

Before STS-132 docking, the International Space
Station weighs 795,370 lbm (360,774 kg)

Integrated Cargo Carrier-Vertical Lightweight
Deployable (ICC-VLD) launch mass is
7,532 lbm (3,417 kg)

ICC-VLD return mass is 6,466 lbm (2,933 kg)

Space-to-Ground Antenna (SGAnt) and boom
will be added to station; mass is 645 lbm
(293 kg)

Enhanced Orbital Replacement Unit (ORU)
Temporary Platform (EOTP) is added to Special
Purpose Dexterous Manipulator; mass is
421 lbm (191 kg)

Mini-Research Module-1 (MRM-1) launch mass
is 17,670 lbm (8,015 kg)

Miscellaneous changes accounts for cargo
transfer and water added to station: 1,413 lbm
(641 kg)

After STS-132 undocks, the station will weigh
815,519 lbm (369,914 kg)

Mission “Quick Look”

•

Launch: 2:20 p.m. EDT Friday, May 14

•

OV-104 Atlantis

(final flight of vehicle)

•

Mission Duration: 12+0+2

•

7 full docked days

•

Crew sleep shifts 4 hours earlier to support

end of mission landing

•

3 spacewalks based out of the Quest Airlock

•

30 hours budgeted for shuttle middeck

transfer

MAY 2010

MISSION OVERVIEW

Leading the crew for STS-132 is Commander
Ken Ham (Captain, U.S. Navy) flying for the
second time following his first mission in
May/June 2008 as pilot on the STS-124 flight of
Discovery. He is joined by an all-veteran crew
that includes Pilot Dominic “Tony” Antonelli
(Captain, USN), Flight Engineer Michael Good
(Colonel, USAF, Retired), Garrett Reisman,
Steve Bowen (Captain, USN), and Piers Sellers.

Antonelli flew as pilot of Discovery’s STS-119
mission in March 2009, which delivered the
S6 Truss and solar array pair to the space
station. Good flew last a year ago (May 2009)
on the STS-125 flight of Atlantis to service the

Hubble Space Telescope one final time. He
conducted two spacewalks. Reisman spent
95 days in space – 90 aboard the space station as
an Expedition 16/17 flight engineer. During his
tour on the station, Reisman conducted one
spacewalk. He launched with Endeavour’s
STS-123 crew in March 2008 and returned
aboard Discovery in June 2008 at the conclusion
of the STS-124 mission. Bowen flew aboard
Endeavour on the STS-126 mission in
November 2008 during which he conducted
three spacewalks. Sellers flew previously on
STS-112 aboard Atlantis in October 2002 and
STS-121 on Discovery in July 2006. He, too, has
performed three spacewalks.

While seated at the commander’s station, astronaut Ken Ham, STS-132 commander, participates

in a post insertion/de-orbit training session in the Crew Compartment Trainer (CCT-2) in the

Space Vehicle Mock-up Facility at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. Ham is wearing a training

version of his shuttle launch and entry suit.

MISSION OVERVIEW

MAY 2010

Aboard Atlantis in the payload bay is the
Russian-built Mini-Research Module-1
(MRM-1) named “Rassvet,” the Russian word
for dawn or sunrise (pronounced Ross-vyet),
along with a cargo carrier holding a spare set of
batteries, a spare Ku Band antenna and
components that will complement the
Canadian-built Special Purpose Dextrous
Manipulator – “Dextre.”

While docked to the station, three crew
members will share the spacewalking duties on
the fourth, sixth and eighth mission days.

The day after launch, Antonelli and Sellers will
share the duty of gathering sensor data and
imagery using the shuttle’s robotic arm and the
Orbiter Boom Sensor System to transmit data to
the ground for review to ensure the sensitive
Thermal Protection System – particularly the
wing leading edge panels and nose cap – was
not damaged during launch. The same type of
inspection will occur late in the mission after
Atlantis departs the station to ensure no critical
damage was incurred from micrometeoroid
debris while in space.

NASA astronaut Tony Antonelli, STS-132 pilot, attired in a training version of his shuttle

launch and entry suit, discusses training activities with United Space Alliance suit technician

Andre Denard in the Space Vehicle Mock-up Facility at NASA’s Johnson Space Center.

MAY 2010

MISSION OVERVIEW

While the inspection takes place, Reisman,
Bowen and Good will prepare the spacesuits, or
Extravehicular Mobility Units, they will wear
for their spacewalks to be conducted out of the
station’s Quest airlock.

Day three marks the arrival at the space station
with rendezvous and docking. With Ham and
Antonelli at the controls of Atlantis, the orbiter
will close in for the final approach and docking
to the station’s forward docking port on the
Tranquility module. After a series of jet firings
to fine tune Atlantis’ path to the station, the
shuttle will arrive at a point about 600 feet
directly below the station about an hour before
docking. At that time, Ham will execute the
R-Bar Pitch Maneuver (or RPM), a one-degree-
per-second rotational “backflip” to enable
station crew members to snap hundreds of
detailed photos of the shuttle’s heat shield and
other areas of potential interest – another data
point for imagery analysts to pore over in
determining the health of the shuttle’s Thermal
Protection System.

Once the rotation is completed, Ham will
maneuver Atlantis to a point 310 feet in front of
the station before slowly closing in for docking.
Less than two hours later, hatches will be
opened between the two spacecraft and a
combined crew of 12 will begin six days of
work. Atlantis’ crew will be working with
Expedition 23 commander, Russian cosmonaut
Oleg Kotov, and flight engineers T.J. Creamer,
and Tracy Caldwell Dyson, both of NASA;
Soichi Noguchi, a Japan Aerospace Exploration
Agency astronaut; and cosmonauts Alexander
Skvortsov and Mikhail Kornienko.

After docking, hatch opening and a safety
briefing by the station crew for its newly
arriving shuttle astronauts, robotics takes center
stage as Sellers and Dyson operate the station’s

robotic arm (Canadarm2) to relocate the
Integrated Cargo Carrier from Atlantis’ payload
bay to the station’s Mobile Base System ahead
of the next day’s first spacewalk of the mission.
This will preposition the components in close
proximity to the worksite.

Flight day three ends with Reisman and Bowen
sleeping in the Quest airlock as part of

the overnight “campout” protocol that helps
purge nitrogen from their bloodstreams,
preventing decompression sickness that could
occur otherwise. The campout is a standard
procedure that will be repeated the night before
each spacewalk.

Early on day four spacewalk preparations
resume as Reisman (EV1) and Bowen (EV2)
conduct the first of three outside excursions.
EVA-1 tasks include installation of the spare
Space-to-Ground Antenna and the Enhanced
Orbital Replacement Unit Temporary Platform
(EOTP) designed for stowage of spare parts.
The two also will prepare new batteries for the
other two planned spacewalks to shift brand
new batteries from Atlantis to an outermost
worksite on the P6 Truss. Reisman will wear an
all-white spacesuit and Bowen will wear a suit
with red stripes on the pant leg and upper
backpack. Each spacewalk is budgeted to last
approximately 6.5 hours.

extravehicular activity

•

EVA 1 on Flight Day 4 (6.5 hrs) –

Garrett Reisman (EV1) and Steve Bowen
(EV2)

•

EVA 2 on Flight Day 6 (6.5 hrs) –

Steve Bowen (EV1) and Michael Good (EV2)

•

EVA 3 on Flight Day 8 (6.5 hrs) –

Michael Good (EV1) and Garrett Reisman
(EV2)

MISSION OVERVIEW

MAY 2010

The Russian Mini-Research Module-1 (MRM-1)
installation on the station’s Zarya module
earth-facing docking port dominates day five of
Atlantis’ mission as robotics work takes center
stage. The mission’s primary objective involves
using the station’s robotic arm under control of
Reisman and Sellers to remove the module
from Atlantis and carefully install it on the
Russian segment. Once capture is confirmed,
an automatic docking sequence is initiated
by the crew via a Russian segment laptop
computer. Power from the station robotic arm
to the module would then be terminated.

The 11,000-pound module is approximately
19 feet long and 8 feet in diameter and will
increase the capabilities of the Russian segment
of the space station by providing workstations
for payloads and the conduct of experiments.
MRM-1 will increase the technical and
operational capabilities as well by providing
accommodation for arriving and departing
transport vehicles like the Soyuz and Progress
spacecraft.

NASA astronaut Steve Bowen, STS-132 mission specialist, participates in an Extravehicular

Mobility Unit spacesuit fit check in the Space Station Airlock Test Article in the

Crew Systems Laboratory at NASA’s Johnson Space Center.

Astronaut Garrett Reisman, mission specialist, assists Bowen.

MAY 2010

MISSION OVERVIEW

Stored inside the module for delivery to

the station is one and a half tons of food,
clothing and supplies. On its exterior are
temporarily stowed items that will be relocated
during future station spacewalks. An airlock
on Rassvet will be attached to the Russian
Multi-purpose Laboratory Module (MLM) after
its launch atop a Russian Proton rocket in 2012.
A European robot arm elbow joint also is
attached to the outside and a Portable Work
Post (PWP) to assist with the arm’s activation,
checkout and operation.

After the MRM-1 is installed, time is budgeted
for focused inspection of Atlantis’ heat shield if
mission managers determine it is necessary.
Reisman and Sellers would conduct the survey.
If not required, the time allotted for focused
inspection would free Ham, Antonelli and
Good to help with middeck transfer activities.

The final robotic task for flight day five is using
the station’s robot arm Canadarm2 to grapple
and hand off the shuttle’s Orbiter Boom Sensor
System to the shuttle arm. Canadarm2 will be
prepositioned to assist with viewing for the
next day’s spacewalk.

Day six will see the second of the three planned
spacewalks conducted by Bowen (EV1) and
Good (EV2). Bowen again will be wearing the
suit with red stripes and Good will wear a suit
with broken barber pole stripes.

The focus of EVA-2 will be the removal and
replacement of three of six batteries on the
outermost truss segment on the port side of the
station. These P6 truss batteries are the oldest
of the station’s exterior battery complement
designed to store solar energy for use by station
systems. The worksite will be prepared first – a
task deferred from the previous mission of
Discovery in April.

Russian Mini-Research Module-1 (MRM-1)

•

Mini-Research Module-1 (Rassvet)

•

Length

19.7 feet (6.0 meters)

•

Diameter

7.7 ft (2.35 m)

•

Mass (empty) 11,188 pounds

(5,075 kilograms)

•

Mass (loaded) 17,760 lbs (8,015 kg)

•

ISS supplies

3,069 lbs (1,392 kg)

1. Crew provisioning and support items

2. Office

supplies

3. Food

4. Crew Health Care System (CheCS)

equipment

5. Computers and accessories

6. Equipment for cold storage and National

Lab Pathfinder (NLP) experiment

•

External items

2,889 lbs (1,310 kg)

1. Spare elbow joint for ESA robot arm

(ERA)

2. Portable Work Post (PWP) for ERA

activation, checkout and ops

3. Radiator and airlock for future Russian

Multi-purpose Lab Module (MLM)

•

Pressurized volume 614 cubic feet

(17.4 cubic meters)

•

Habitable volume

207 cubic feet
(5.8 cubic meters)

MISSION OVERVIEW

MAY 2010

NASA astronaut Michael Good, STS-132

mission specialist, uses virtual reality

hardware in the Space Vehicle Mock-up

Facility at NASA’s Johnson Space Center to

rehearse some of his duties on the upcoming

mission to the International Space Station.

This type of virtual reality training allows the

astronauts to wear a helmet and special gloves

while looking at computer displays

simulating actual movements around the

various locations on the station hardware

with which they will be working.

David Homan assists Good.

The station robotic arm, under shared control of
Reisman and Sellers, will maneuver the
Integrated Cargo Carrier to the worksite for the

spacewalkers to use as a platform and
repository. Once the spacewalk is completed,
the robotic arm will be maneuvered clear of the
Solar Alpha Rotary Joint so that it can be
commanded to rotate again.

Each battery measures 40 x 36 x 18 inches and
weighs 375 pounds. The battery set to be
replaced was launched as part of the P6 Truss
segment delivered to the space station in
November/December 2000.

P6 Battery

•

40" x 36" x 18"

•

375 pounds (170 kilograms)

•

38 lightweight Nickel Hydrogen cells

•

Provides 8 kilowatts of electrical power

(two batteries connected in series)

•

6.5 year average design life

•

Can exceed 38,000 charge/discharge cycles at

35 percent depth of discharge

Flight day seven focuses on hatch opening and
entry into the MRM-1 following leak checks.
After the atmosphere is scrubbed, the docking
mechanism will be removed and hatch left
slightly ajar. Actual ingress into the module
will wait until after Atlantis departs and the
station crew is back on its own. This day also
includes some crew off duty time ahead of day
eight’s third spacewalk.

The third and final planned spacewalk of the
mission will be conducted on flight day eight
by Good (EV1) and Reisman (EV2). Good will
wear a suit with the barber pole red stripes and
Reisman once again will be wearing a suit with
no markings.

MAY 2010

MISSION OVERVIEW

Their focus will be on removal and replacement
of the final three batteries on the P6 truss and
returning the full set of old batteries to the
Integrated Cargo Carrier for eventual return to
Atlantis’ payload bay and return home.

Time permitting, the spacewalkers will retrieve
a new grapple fixture for the station’s robot arm
from the sidewall of Atlantis and install it on
the station. The Power Data Grapple Fixture
(PDGF) will provide an additional active
location from which the robot arm can operate.

With the outside work complete, day nine
focuses on cleanup by relocating the Integrated
Cargo Carrier from its temporary location on
the station’s Mobile Base System to the shuttle’s
payload bay for return home.

If required, the station’s orbit will be raised
slightly using subtle thruster firings on Atlantis
followed by some off duty time for the crews.
A placeholder in the timeline is budgeted for
Ham and Antonelli should the station program
elect to exercise the reboost option.

Attired in a training version of his shuttle launch and entry suit, astronaut Piers Sellers, STS-132

mission specialist, participates in a training session on the middeck of the crew compartment trainer

(CCT-2) in the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility at NASA’s Johnson Space Center.

MISSION OVERVIEW

MAY 2010

The crews of Atlantis and the station will bid
farewell to one another early on flight day 10
after six full days of joint operations (not
including docking and undocking days).

Shortly after undocking Antonelli will be at the
controls of the shuttle for the traditional one lap
fly around to document the new configuration
of the station before departing the area.

Left behind will be the International Space
Station with its newest module and a mass
in space of more than 815,000 pounds

(370,000 kilograms).

After Atlantis departs, the station crew will
turn its attention to preparations for the next
crew arrival on a Russian Soyuz spacecraft
and spacewalks to outfit the MRM-1 and
installation of a PDGF on the Zarya module.

On flight day 11 Ham, Antonelli, Reisman and
Sellers will again use the OBSS to inspect the
wing leading edges and nose cap for any
evidence of damage due to micrometeoroid
debris before return home. The data gathered
will be shipped to the ground for review by
imagery experts in Mission Control – the same
group that pores over imagery after launch.

The day before landing is set aside for the
traditional tests of hydraulics, flight control
systems and thruster jets ahead of landing.
With cabin stowage activities ongoing in
parallel, Ham, Antonelli and Good will
pressurize the hydraulic system to test the
movable surfaces on the wings and tail and fire
steering jets setting the stage for Atlantis’
return home.

After Atlantis Departs

•

21 Soyuz undocks and lands June 2 ending

Expedition 23

•

Oleg Kotov, Soichi Noguchi and

T.J. Creamer return after 163 days in
space leaving Alexander Skvortsov,
Tracy Caldwell Dyson and Mikhail
Kornienko behind to begin Expedition 24

•

23 Soyuz launches June 16 and docks 18

•

Fyodor Yurchikhin, Doug Wheelock and

Shannon Walker join Expedition 24

•

23 Soyuz Relocate June 22

•

The moves Soyuz from SM Aft to MRM-1 in

preparation for 38P docking.

•

Russian Progress 38 Supply Craft launches

June 30 and docks July 2

•

STS-134/ISS ULF6 Preparations

•

U.S. Spacewalk July 8

•

The primary task is to install a Power and

Data Grapple Fixture (brought inside during
STS-132 for outfitting) on the Zarya module
(Dyson and Wheelock)

•

Russian Spacewalk July 23

•

The primary tasks will focus on MRM-1

activation. (Kornienko and Yurchikhin)

MAY 2010

MISSION OVERVIEW

Attired in training versions of their shuttle launch and entry suits, the STS-132 crew members take a

brief break for a portrait in the Space Vehicle Mock-up Facility at NASA’s Johnson Space Center.
NASA astronaut Ken Ham, commander, holds the STS-132 mission logo. Also pictured (from the

left) are NASA astronauts Piers Sellers, Garrett Reisman, both mission specialists; Tony Antonelli,

pilot; Michael Good and Steve Bowen, both mission specialists.

The STS-132 mission ends with landing on
flight day 12 back at the Kennedy Space
Center’s Shuttle Landing Facility. Landing
currently is planned for the early morning of
May 26 after 12 days in space. STS-132 is the

132nd space shuttle mission; the 34th shuttle
flight devoted to space station assembly and
operation and the 32nd and final planned flight
of Atlantis.

MAY 2010

TIMELINE OVERVIEW

STS-132 TIMELINE OVERVIEW

Flight Day 1

•

Launch

•

Payload Bay Door Opening

•

Ku-band Antenna Deployment

•

Shuttle Robotic Arm Activation and payload

bay survey

•

Umbilical Well and Handheld External Tank

Photo and TV Downlink

Flight Day 2

•

Atlantis’ Thermal Protection System Survey

with Shuttle Robotic Arm/Orbiter Boom
Sensor System (OBSS)

•

Extravehicular Mobility Unit Checkout

•

Centerline Camera Installation

•

Orbiter Docking System Ring Extension

•

Orbital Maneuvering System Pod Survey

•

Rendezvous tools checkout

Flight Day 3

•

Rendezvous with the International Space

Station

•

Rendezvous Pitch Maneuver Photography

of Atlantis’ Thermal Protection System by
Expedition 23 crew members Creamer and
Kotov

•

Docking to Harmony/Pressurized Mating

Adapter-2

•

Hatch Opening and Welcoming

•

Canadarm2 grapple of Integrated Cargo

Carrier, unberthing from Atlantis’ payload
bay and temporary park on the Mobile Base
System’s payload attachment device

•

Spacewalk 1 preparations by Reisman

and Bowen

•

Spacewalk 1 procedure review

•

Spacewalk 1 campout by Reisman and

Bowen in the Quest airlock

Flight Day 4

•

Spacewalk 1 by Reisman and Bowen

(Installation of the backup Space-to-Ground
Antenna on the Z1 truss and installation of a
new tool platform on the Dextre robot)

Flight Day 5

•

Unberth of the Russian Rassvet module from

Atlantis’ payload bay and installation on the
Earth-facing port of the Zarya module

•

Canadarm unberth of the Orbiter Boom

Sensor System and handoff to the shuttle’s
robotic arm

•

Focused inspection of Atlantis’ thermal

protection heat shield, if required

•

Spacewalk 2 preparations by Bowen and

Good

•

Spacewalk 2 procedure review

•

Spacewalk 2 campout by Bowen and Good

in the Quest airlock

TIMELINE OVERVIEW

MAY 2010

Flight Day 6

•

Canadarm 2 removal of the Integrated Cargo

Carrier from the Mobile Base System
attachment device and relocation at the
Spacewalk 2 worksite

•

Spacewalk 2 by Bowen and Good (remove

and replace three of the six batteries in the
P6 truss)

Flight Day 7

•

Middeck cargo transfer from Atlantis to

the space station

•

Rassvet/Zarya leak checks and Rassvet hatch

opening for air duct installation (complete
outfitting of Rassvet will be delayed until
after Atlantis departs)

•

Crew off duty period

•

Spacewalk 3 preparations by Reisman

and Good

•

Spacewalk 3 procedure review

•

Spacewalk 3 campout by Reisman and

Good in the Quest airlock

Flight Day 8

•

Spacewalk 3 by Reisman and Good (remove

and replace the last three batteries on the P6
truss and, if time permits, retrieve a spare
Power and Data Grapple Fixture from the
sidewall of Atlantis’ payload bay to be
brought inside the station)

•

Canadarm 2 returns the Integrated Cargo

Carrier to the Mobile Base System
attachment device

Flight Day 9

•

Canadarm 2 berths the Integrated Cargo

Carrier in Atlantis’ cargo bay

•

Middeck cargo transfer from Atlantis to

the station

•

Crew off duty time

Flight Day 10

•

Final middeck cargo transfer from Atlantis

to the station

•

Rendezvous Tool Checkout

•

Joint Crew News Conference

•

Farewells and Hatch Closure

•

Centerline Camera installation

•

Atlantis undocking from station and

flyaround

•

Final separation from the station

Flight Day 11

•

OBSS late inspection of Atlantis’ thermal

heat shield

•

OBSS berth

Flight Day 12

•

Cabin stowage

•

Flight Control System checkout

•

Reaction Control System hot-fire test

•

Deorbit Preparation Briefing

•

Ku-band antenna stowage

MAY 2010

MISSION PROFILE

CREW

Commander:

Ken Ham

Pilot:

Tony Antonelli

Mission Specialist 1:

Garrett Reisman

Mission Specialist 2:

Michael Good

Mission Specialist 3:

Steve Bowen

Mission Specialist 4:

Piers

Sellers

LAUNCH

Orbiter:

Atlantis

(OV-104)

Launch Site:

Kennedy Space Center
Launch Pad 39A

Launch Date:

May

14,

2010

Launch Time:

2:20 p.m. EDT (Preferred
In-Plane launch time for
5/14)

Launch Window:

10 Minutes

Altitude:

22 Nautical Miles (140 Miles)
Orbital Insertion; 190 NM
(218 Miles) Rendezvous

Inclination:

51.6

Degrees

Duration:

11 Days 18 Hours 23 Minutes

VEHICLE DATA

Shuttle Liftoff Weight:

4,519,769

pounds

Orbiter/Payload Liftoff Weight:

263,100

pounds

Orbiter/Payload Landing Weight:

209,491

pounds

Software Version:

OI-34

Space Shuttle Main Engines:

SSME 1:

2052

SSME 2:

2051

SSME 3:

2047

External Tank:

ET-136

SRB Set:

BI-143

RSRM Set:

111

SHUTTLE ABORTS

Abort Landing Sites

RTLS:

Kennedy Space Center Shuttle
Landing Facility

TAL:

Primary – Zaragoza, Spain.
Alternates – Moron, Spain and
Istres, France

AOA:

Primary – Kennedy Space Center
Shuttle Landing Facility
Alternate – White Sands Space
Harbor

LANDING

Landing Date:

May

26,

2010

Landing Time:

08:44 a.m. EDT

Primary landing Site:

Kennedy Space Center

Shuttle Landing Facility

PAYLOADS

Mini-Research Module-1
Integrated Cargo Carrier

MAY 2010

MISSION OBJECTIVES

MAJOR OBJECTIVES

1. Rendezvous and dock space shuttle Atlantis

to the station’s Pressurized Mating Adapter
(PMA)-2 and perform mandatory safety
briefing for all crew members

2. Activate and check out Mini-Research

Module-1 (MRM-1) in the shuttle payload
bay

3. Support dual docked operations for

23S docking (if required)

4. Perform robotic installation of the MRM-1

to the Zarya nadir port

−

Closure of a minimum of one set of
hooks in the MRM-1/Zarya nadir
interface

−

Confirmation of electrical connectivity
through the MRM-1/Zarya Interface

5. Transfer mandatory quantities of water

from the shuttle to the space station per
Flight Utilization Logistics Flight (ULF) 4
Transfer Priority List (TPL)

6. Transfer critical items per Flight ULF4 TPL

7. Deploy Integrated Cargo Carrier – Vertical

Lightweight Deployable-2 (ICC-VLD-2)
with Orbital Replacement Units (ORUs)
from the payload bay and stow on Mobile
Transporter (MT) Payload ORU
Accommodation (POA)

8. Install the Space-to-Ground Antenna

(SGAnt) and SGAnt boom on Z1 truss

9. Install the Enhanced ORU Temporary

Platform (EOTP) on the Special Purpose
Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM)

10. Replace the six P6 channel 4B batteries

currently in orbit with new batteries from
the ICC-VLD-2 and return the old batteries
on ICC-VLD-2

11. Return the ICC-VLD2 with old batteries to

the shuttle payload bay

12. Transfer mission success items per the

Flight ULF4 TPL

13. Remove the Payload Data Grapple

Fixture (PDGF) from the shuttle sidewall
carrier and transfer to the space station

14. Perform Intravehicular Activity (IVA) tasks

to allow for return of in-orbit hardware

15. Perform daily station payload status checks,

as required

16. Perform nonrecoverable station

utilization/science activities (not listed in
priority order):

−

Bisphosphonates

−

Double Coldbag (DCB) packing

−

Waving and Coiling of Arabidopsis
Roots at Different g-levels (WAICO) bag
packing

−

General Laboratory Active Cryogenic
ISS Experiment Refrigerator (GLACIER)

−

Microbiology-2 (Micro-2)

20 MISSION

OBJECTIVES

MAY

2010

−

Mycological Evaluation of Crew
Exposure to ISS Ambient Air (Myco)

−

National Lab Pathfinder (NLP)
vaccine-9

−

SPINAL long (station U.S. Operating
Segment (USOS) crew) and SPINAL
short (shuttle crew)

−

Fish Scales

17. Transfer additional quantities of water from

the shuttle to station per ULF4 TPL

18. Transfer remaining cargo items per Flight

ULF4 TPL

19. The following spacewalk tasks are deemed

to fit within the existing extravehicular
activity (EVA) timelines; however, they may
be deferred if the EVA is behind schedule.
The EVA will not be extended to complete
these tasks:

−

Install EOTP input drive mechanism
and two fuse ORUs

20. Perform daily middeck status checks to

support payloads

21. Perform remaining station payload research

operations tasks

−

SDBI 1634 SLEEP/WAKE actigraphy
and light exposure during spaceflight
(“Sleep-Short”)

22. Perform Russian resupply

23. Transfer nitrogen from the shuttle to the

station’s airlock High Pressure Gas Tanks
(HGPTs)

24. Transfer oxygen from the shuttle to the

station’s airlock HGPTs as consumables
allow

25. Perform imagery survey of the station’s

exterior during fly-around after undock

26. Perform reboost of the station with the

shuttle if mission resources allow and are
consistent with station trajectory analysis
and planning

27. Perform program-approved EVA get-ahead

tasks. The following EVA get-ahead tasks
do not fit in the existing EVA timelines;
however, the EVA team will be trained and
ready to perform them, should the
opportunity arise:

−

Port 3 Crew and Equipment
Transfer/Translation Aid (CETA) light

−

Port 4/Port 5 NH3 jumper

28. Perform program-approved IVA get-ahead

tasks. The following IVA get-ahead tasks
do not fit in the existing IVA timelines;
however, the IVA team will be trained and
ready to perform should the opportunity
arise:

−

Ingress MRM-1

29. Perform Station Development Test

Objective (SDTO) 13005-U, ISS Structural
Life Validation and Extension, during
MRM-1 installation

30. Perform SDTO 13005-U, ISS Structural Life

Validation and Extension, during shuttle-
mated reboost

MAY 2010

MISSION PERSONNEL

KEY CONSOLE POSITIONS FOR STS-132

Flt.

Director CAPCOM PAO

Ascent

Richard Jones

Charlie Hobaugh
TBD (Wx)

Kyle Herring

Orbit 1 (Lead)

Mike Sarafin

Chris Cassidy

Kyle Herring

Orbit 2

Chris Edelen

Stan Love

Josh Byerly

Planning

Ginger Kerrick

Shannon Lucid Nicole

Cloutier-

Lemasters

Entry

Tony Ceccacci

Charlie Hobaugh
TBD (Wx)

Josh Byerly

Shuttle Team 4

TBD N/A N/A

ISS Orbit 1

Holly Ridings

Zach Jones

N/A

ISS Orbit 2 (Lead)

Emily Nelson

Steve Swanson

N/A

ISS Orbit 3

Dina Contella

Rob Hayhurst

N/A

Station Team 4

Royce Renfrew

JSC PAO Representative at KSC for Launch

– Kelly Humphries

KSC Launch Commentator

– George Diller

KSC Launch Director

– Mike Leinbach

NASA Launch Test Director

– Jeremy Graeber

MAY 2010

CREW

STS-132 CREW

The STS-132 mission will be the 32nd flight of
the space shuttle Atlantis. The primary STS-132
mission objective is to deliver the Russian-made
MRM-1 (Mini-Research Module) to the
International Space Station. Atlantis also will
deliver a new communications antenna and a
new set of batteries for one of the station’s solar
arrays. The STS-132 mission patch features
Atlantis flying off into the sunset as the end of
the Space Shuttle Program approaches.

However, the sun is also heralding the promise

of a new day as it rises for the first time on a
new station module, the MRM-1, named
“Rassvet,” the Russian word for dawn.

Short biographical sketches of the crew appear
in this package.

More detailed biographies are available at:

http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/bios/

MAY 2010

CREW

STS-132 CREW BIOGRAPHIES

Ken Ham

Ken Ham, a captain in the U.S. Navy,

will command STS-132 and its crew. As
commander, he will have overall responsibility
for the safety and execution of the mission and
will oversee the crew and ensure mission
objectives are met. He will fly Atlantis during
its rendezvous and docking to the space station
and landing back on Earth.

Before being selected by NASA in 1998, Ham
was temporarily assigned to the NASA-JSC

zero-g office at Ellington Field in Houston
where he flew as a crew member on the NASA
zero-g research aircraft.

In 2008, Ham served as pilot of STS-124, which
delivered the Kibo pressurized science
laboratory to the space station. He has spent
more than 13 days in space and has logged
more than 5,000 flight hours in more than
40 different types of aircraft.

MAY 2010

PAYLOAD OVERVIEW

INTEGRATED CARGO CARRIER
VERTICAL LIGHT DEPLOY (ICC-VLD)

Astronauts use the Integrated Cargo Carrier
(ICC) to help transfer unpressurized cargo such
as Orbital Replacement Units (ORUs) from the
space shuttle to the International Space Station
and from the station to worksites on the truss
assemblies. The carrier also is used to return
items for refurbishment.

The Astrium ICC, formerly provided by
SPACEHAB Inc., is an unpressurized flatbed
pallet and keel yoke assembly housed in

the shuttle’s payload bay. Constructed of
aluminum, it is approximately 8 feet long
(105 inches), 13 feet wide (165 inches) and
10 inches thick, and carries cargo on both the
top and bottom faces of the pallet. Using
modular elements, several pallet configurations
are available, accommodating various mass
capabilities and cargo envelopes.

The ICC configuration flown on STS-132 is
called the ICC – VLD and provides heater
power and electrical connections for the ORUs.
The empty weight of the ICC – VLD is
2,645 pounds. The total weight of the ORUs
and ICC – VLD is approximately 8,330 pounds.
The STS-132 assembly mission ICC – VLD will
carry replacement components and spare parts
for the space station.

The ICC is grabbed by the space shuttle and the
space station robotic arms during its move from
the payload bay. It is attached to the station’s
mobile transporter and can be held at the
various worksites by the station’s robotic arm
while the ORUs are transferred.

The ICC – VLD will carry six battery ORUs
for the Port 6 (P6) Integrated Equipment

Assembly (IEA). The P6 containing the initial
station high-power components was launched
on Nov. 30, 2000. The IEA contains 12 Battery
Subassembly ORUs (six batteries) that are
charged from the solar arrays during sunlit

PAYLOAD OVERVIEW

MAY 2010

periods and provide station power during
eclipse and maintenance periods.  Previously,
six of the original P6 battery ORUs were
changed out during the STS-127 (2J/A) mission.
Thirty-eight Individual Pressure Vessel (IPV)
Nickel Hydrogen (Ni-H2) battery cells are
connected in series and packaged in a battery
ORU. Two ORUs are connected in series,
utilizing a total of 76 cells to form one battery.
Each battery is designed to deliver more than
25 amps in a low-demand orbit to as high as
75

amps to meet short peaking load

requirements at a battery operating voltage
range of 76 to 123 V dc. The batteries will be
replaced during two spacewalks and the old
ones will be returned. The six batteries weigh
2,204 pounds and have a design life of
approximately six and a half years.

In addition to the batteries, the ICC – VLD will
have one Space-to-Ground Antenna (SGANT),
one SGANT boom, and one Enhanced Orbital
Replacement Unit Temporary Platform (EOTP).
These components will be stored on External
Stowage Platform 3 (ESP-3) on the Port 3 truss.
When the ICC – VLD with the old batteries is
returned to Earth aboard the space shuttle, it
will weigh 6,017 pounds.

The SGANT provides Ku band communication
between the space station and the Tracking
Data and Relay (TDRS) satellites for payload
data, video to the ground and the crew

Orbiter Communications Adapter (OCA). The
OCA allows for telephone calls, emails and
other two-way communications services. The
SGANT currently is mounted on top of the
Zenith one (Z1) truss. Eventually, a second
Z1 boom will be mounted with an additional
SGANT in a standby backup mode. If ever
needed, it could be brought on line quickly.
The SGANT dish measures 6 feet (72 inches) in

diameter, and 6 feet (72 inches) high, including
gimbals, and weighs 194 pounds.

The SGANT Orbital Replacement Unit (ORU),
the SGANT Flight Support Equipment (FSE)
Installation Kit, and the Small Adapter Plate
Assembly (SAPA) comprise the Integrated
Assembly, SGANT FSE Installation Kit
(hereafter referred to as the Integrated
Assembly). The installation kit is composed
of hardware that provides a mechanical,
structural and electrical bonding interface
between the SGANT ORU and the SAPA. The
SGANT FSE Installation Kit provides

thermal conditioning of the SGANT ORU. The
hardware is extravehicular activity (EVA)
compatible. The FSE Installation Kit is used
to support transportation of SGANT ORUs
from Earth to orbit, cargo transfer to the

in-orbit position on the International Space
Station, and return from orbit to Earth. When
used with the proper carrier or storage
platform, the SGANT FSE Installation Kit can
be used to support storage of the SGANT ORU
at in-orbit station external payload sites. It can
be separated from the Passive Flight Releasable
Attachment Mechanism (PFRAM) Interface
Plate (IP) Assembly mounted to the launch
carrier, or the station stowage platform.

The SGANT Boom Assembly provides power,
data, and structural support to the redundant
SGANT and the Space-to-Ground Transmit
Receive Controller (SGTRC) units. The

SGANT Boom Assembly will attach to the
Integrated Truss Structure (ITS) Z1 berthing
face at the original SGANT launch location for
transmission of mechanical loads and
vibrations. It will position and align the
redundant SGANT to be ready for use should
the primary SGANT fail in orbit. The Boom
Attached Cables (BAC) provide an electrical

MAY 2010

PAYLOAD OVERVIEW

interface to the SGANT and SGTRC units for
power, 1553 command and control data,

and Radio Frequency (RF) signals and
Intermediate Frequency (IF) signals carrying
International Space Station space-to-ground
communications. The waveguide is also
attached to the Boom Assembly and provides a
conduit for Radio Frequency (RF) signals
between the SGTRC and SGANT.

The Enhanced ORU Temporary Platform
(EOTP) is hardware supporting the operation of

the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator
(SPDM). It is built by MDA and provided as
NASA Government Furnished Equipment.

Return of the EOTP is not planned for this
mission. The EOTP has a Passive FRAM
interface, which is used to transfer launch
loads. The interface structure between EOTP
and the ICC-VLD is Flight Support Equipment
(FSE) developed and owned by Astrium-ST.
It interfaces with the PFRAM of the EOTP. The
EOTP does not require power or data interfaces
while on the ICC.

ICC-VLD Launch Configuration

ICC-VLD Return Configuration

PAYLOAD OVERVIEW

MAY 2010

MINI-RESEARCH MODULE-1

The Mini-Research Module-1 (MRM-1) is a new
Russian module that will be delivered to the
International Space Station by space shuttle
Atlantis on the STS-132 mission.

MRM-1, which has been named Rassvet, a
Russian word meaning dawn, will be used
primarily for cargo storage and some payload
operations. The module will be berthed to the
Earth-facing port of the Zarya module using the
station robotic arm on Flight Day 5.

Developed at Korolev Rocket and Space Corp.
Energia (RSC Energia), MRM-1 also will
provide a fourth docking port on the Russian
operation segment of the station for the docking
of Soyuz and Progress vehicles.

MRM-1 is 19.7 feet long (6 meters), has

a maximum exterior diameter of 7.7 feet

(2.35 meters) and weighs 11,188 pounds

(5,075 kilograms). For its flight to the station,
the MRM-1 will carry a total of 6,482 pounds
(2,940 kilograms) of cargo on its internal and
exterior stowage locations while in Atlantis’
payload bay.

On its shell, Rassvet will carry a spare elbow
joint for the European Robotic Arm (ERA)
and outfitting equipment for the Russian
Multi-Purpose Laboratory Module (MLM),
which is scheduled to launch on a Russian
rocket in 2012.  The outfitting equipment will
include a radiator, an airlock for payloads,
and a Portable Work Post (PWP) that will
provide a spacewalk worksite for ERA
activation, checkout, and operations.

Once MRM-1 is installed on its Zarya port, its
614 cubic feet (17 cubic meters) of pressurized
volume, will increase the space station’s total
pressurized volume to 29,561 cubic feet

(837 cubic meters), and its 207 cubic feet

(5.8 cubic meters) will increase the total
habitable volume to 12,705 cubic feet

(360 cubic meters). After installation and
Atlantis’ departure, the station’s total mass will
be 815,519 pounds (369,914 kilograms).

MRM-1 (Rassvet) Basic Specifications:

Module launch
mass:

11,188 pounds
(5,075 kilograms)

Total launch
mass:

17,760 pounds
(8,015 kilograms), including
cargo (European Robotic
Arm for Columbus, airlock
for Multipurpose
Laboratory Module and a
portable workplace)

Maximum hull
diameter:

7.7 feet (2.35 meters)

Hull length
between
docking
assembly
planes:

19.7 feet (6.0 meters)

Pressurized
volume:

614 cubic feet
(17.4 cubic meters)

Habitable
volume:

207 cubic feet
(5.85 cubic meters)

PAYLOAD OVERVIEW

MAY 2010

•

MLM Radiator

•

PDA

•

Portable

Work Platform

•

MLM Airlock

•

PVGF

•

ERA Elbow Spare

MRM-1 Overview

•

Mini-Research Module-1 (MRM-1) was
manufactured from the residual Dynamic
Test Article of the Science Power
Platform (SPP)

•

MLM outfitting hardware is mounted
externally on MRM-1

•

3,086 pounds of NASA cargo launches
inside (211 cubic feet of usable on-orbit
stowage volume)

MAY 2010

RENDEZVOUS & DOCKING

This is a high-angle view of the crew cabin of the space shuttle Atlantis during the second

spacewalk of Atlantis’ visit to the International Space Station.

Atlantis’ launch for the STS-132 mission is
precisely timed to lead to a linkup with the
International Space Station about 220 miles
above Earth. A series of engine firings during
the first two days of the mission will bring the
shuttle to a point about 50,000 feet behind the
station. Once there, Atlantis will start its final
approach. About 2.5 hours before docking, the
shuttle’s jets will be fired during what is called
the terminal initiation burn. The shuttle will
cover the final miles to the station during the
next orbit.

As Atlantis moves closer to the station, its
rendezvous radar system and trajectory control
sensor will provide the crew with range and
closing-rate data. Several small correction
burns will place the shuttle about 1,000 feet
below the station.

Commander Ken Ham, with help from Pilot
Tony Antonelli and other crew members, will
manually fly the shuttle for the remainder of
the approach and docking.

RENDEZVOUS & DOCKING

MAY 2010

Ham will stop Atlantis about 600 feet below the
station. Timing the next steps to occur with
proper lighting, he will maneuver the shuttle
through an approximate eight-minute back flip
called the Rendezvous Pitch Maneuver, also
known as the R-bar Pitch Maneuver since
Atlantis is in line with an imaginary vertical
R-bar directly below the station. During this
maneuver, station crew members Oleg Kotov
and Timothy (T.J.) Creamer will photograph
Atlantis’ upper and lower surfaces through
windows of the Zvezda Service Module. They
will use digital cameras equipped with an
800mm lens to provide up to one-inch
resolution and a 400mm lens providing

three-inch resolution.

The photography is one of several techniques
used to inspect the shuttle’s Thermal Protection
System for possible damage. Areas of special
interest include the thermal protection tiles, the
reinforced carbon-carbon panels along the wing
leading edges and the nose cap, landing gear
doors and the elevon cove. The photos will be
downlinked through the station’s Ku-band
communications system for analysis by
imagery experts in Mission Control.

When Atlantis completes its back flip, it will be
back where it started with its payload bay
facing the station. Ham then will fly the shuttle
through a quarter circle to a position about
400 feet directly in front of the station. From
that point he will begin the final approach to
docking to the Pressurized Mating Adapter 2 at
the forward end of the Harmony node.

The shuttle crew members will operate laptop
computers that process the navigational data,
the laser range systems and Atlantis’ docking
mechanism.

Using a video camera mounted in the center of
the Orbiter Docking System, Ham will line up
the docking ports of the two spacecraft. If
necessary, he will pause the shuttle 30 feet from
the station to ensure proper alignment of the
docking mechanisms. He will maintain the
shuttle’s speed relative to the station at about
one-tenth of a foot per second, while both
Atlantis and the station are moving at about
17,500 mph. Ham will keep the docking
mechanisms aligned to a tolerance of three
inches.

When Atlantis makes contact with the station,
preliminary latches will automatically link the
two spacecraft. The shuttle’s steering jets will
be deactivated to reduce the forces acting at the
docking interface. Shock absorber springs in
the docking mechanism will dampen any
relative motion between the shuttle and station.

Once motion between the shuttle and the
station has been stopped, the docking ring will
be retracted to close a final set of latches
between the two vehicles.

UNDOCKING, SEPARATION AND
DEPARTURE

At undocking time, the hooks and latches will
be opened and springs will push the shuttle
away from the station. Atlantis’ steering jets
will be shut off to avoid any inadvertent firings
during the initial separation.

Once the shuttle is about two feet from the
station and the docking devices are clear of one
another, Antonelli will turn the steering jets
back on and will manually control Atlantis
within a tight corridor as the shuttle separates
from the station.

MAY 2010

SPACEWALKS

Astronaut Garrett Reisman, Expedition 16 flight engineer, participates in the STS-123 mission’s

first scheduled session of extravehicular activity as construction and maintenance

continue on the International Space Station.

Over the course of the three spacewalks of the
STS-132 mission, the International Space Station
will gain spare and replacement parts that will
help it continue functioning well into the
future.

Mission Specialists Garrett Reisman,

Michael Good and Steve Bowen will spend a
total of 19.5 hours outside the station on flight
days 4, 6 and 8. As all three crew members are
experienced spacewalkers, they have elected
not to designate one person as lead spacewalker
for the mission; instead they’ll each take a turn

in that role on a different spacewalk. Bowen,
who performed three spacewalks totaling
19 hours and 56 minutes during the STS-126
mission in 2008, will wear a spacesuit marked
with a red stripe. He’ll act as lead on the
second spacewalk. Good, who spent 15 hours
and 58 minutes working on the Hubble Space
Telescope during STS-125 in 2009, will wear a
suit with a band of red and white barber pole
stripes and take the lead position on the third
spacewalk. And Reisman, who took part in one
spacewalk during the STS-123 mission in 2008,

44 SPACEWALKS

MAY

2010

will sport an all-white spacesuit. He’ll lead the
first spacewalk.

When a spacewalk – also called extravehicular
activity, or EVA for short – is going on

outside, one crew member inside the
International Space Station is assigned the job
of intravehicular officer, or spacewalk
choreographer. In this case, that crew member
will be Pilot Tony Antonelli. The spacewalks
will also require astronauts inside the station to
be at the controls of the station’s 58-foot-long
robotic arm to maneuver ammonia tank
assembly and other pieces of hardware.

Mission Specialist Piers Sellers will be at

the arm’s controls for those operations, along
with whichever spacewalker isn’t outside the
station on a given day and, in the case of the
first and third spacewalks, station Flight
Engineer Tracy Caldwell Dyson.

Preparations will start the night before each
spacewalk, when the astronauts spend time in
the station’s Quest Airlock. This practice is
called the campout pre-breathe protocol and is

used to purge nitrogen from the spacewalkers’
systems and prevent decompression sickness,
also known as “the bends.”

During the campout, the two astronauts
performing the spacewalk will isolate
themselves inside the airlock while the air
pressure is lowered to 10.2 pounds per square
inch, or psi. The station is kept at the near-sea-
level pressure of 14.7 psi. The morning of the
spacewalk, the astronauts will wear oxygen
masks while the airlock's pressure is raised
back to 14.7 psi for an hour and the hatch
between the airlock and the rest of the station is
opened. That allows the spacewalkers to
perform their morning routines before
returning to the airlock, where the air pressure
is lowered again. Approximately 50 minutes
after the spacewalkers don their spacesuits, the
pre-breathe protocol will be complete.

The procedure enables spacewalks to begin
earlier in the crew’s day than was possible
before the protocol was adopted.

MAY 2010

SPACEWALKS

EVA-1

Duration:

6 hours, 30 minutes

EVA Crew:

Reisman (lead) and Bowen

IV CREW:

Antonelli

Robotic Arm Operators:

Sellers, Good and

Dyson

EVA Operations:

•

Install spare space-to-ground antenna

•

Install spare parts platform on the Special
Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (Dextre)

•

Loosen P6 battery bolts

The first spacewalk of the mission will be the
only spacewalk not devoted to battery
replacement – though there will be some prep
work for that task before the spacewalkers
finish for the day.

Once they’ve made their way out of the Quest
airlock, Reisman and Bowen will move to a
pallet of equipment brought up inside the
shuttle’s cargo bay and moved to the robotic
arm’s mobile base during flight day 3. On it
are six new batteries for the P6 solar array, a
spare space-to-ground antenna and a new piece
of equipment for the Special Purpose Dexterous
Manipulator, or Dextre.

46 SPACEWALKS

MAY

2010

At the pallet, Bowen will prepare the space-to-
ground antenna dish for removal, then he and
Reisman will each release four of the eight bolts
holding the boom of the antenna onto the
pallet. Reisman will then climb onto the end of
the space station’s robotic arm, so that he can
carry the boom via the robotic arm to the
Z1 segment of the station’s truss system. And
once Reisman is on his way, Bowen will
prepare for removal a new storage platform
brought up for Dextre.

When the spacewalkers meet back up at the
Z1 segment of the truss, Bowen will install the
antenna boom by driving two mounting bolts,
and then begin connecting six power and data
cables to the antenna while Reisman rides the
robotic arm back to the pallet to retrieve the
antenna dish, a task that will require removing
two more bolts. Bowen should also have time
to remove some insulation from the boom
before Reisman returns.

Installing the antenna dish will require the
spacewalkers to secure four bolts, then Reisman
will connect two final cables, and, if time

permits, Bowen will install a heat shield on the
antenna’s group interface tube and remove
locks that prevent the antenna dish from
rotating.

Reisman will then travel back to the spare parts
pallet to pick up Dextre’s new storage platform,
after removing the four bolts holding it in place.
He’ll meet Bowen back at Dextre on top of the
Destiny laboratory, where they’ll install four
bolts to secure the platform to the robot and, if
time permits, connect two electrical fuses and
install a maintenance tether.

While Reisman is getting off the robotic arm,
Bowen will wrap up the planned work for the
spacewalk by moving out to the end of the port
side of the station’s truss to the batteries of the
P6 solar arrays, which will be swapped out over
the course of the following two spacewalks.
He’ll get the six batteries ready for removal by
loosening the two bolts holding each one in
place, and then make his way back to the
airlock.

MAY 2010

SPACEWALKS

EVA-2

Duration:

6 hours, 30 minutes

EVA Crew:

Bowen (lead) and Good

IV CREW:

Antonelli

Robotic Arm Operators:

Sellers and Reisman

EVA Operations:

•

P6 battery swap, part 1

Bowen and Good will replace three of the six
batteries on the B side of the P6 solar array
during this spacewalk – each of the two wings
of the four solar arrays at the space station are
designated either A or B. The six batteries on
the A side of the P6 were replaced on STS-127.

The new batteries will be designated by letters
A through F, and the old batteries numbered
one through six. Good will remove an old
battery from the solar array’s integrated
electrical assembly using two “scoops” that will
been installed by Bowen to make it possible to
maneuver the batteries. After removing two
bolts, Good will hand battery 1 off, get out of
the foot restraint he was working in, move
closer to Bowen and take hold of the battery
again. Bowen will then release the battery,
move slightly further down the truss and
position himself to take hold of the battery.
Good will hand the battery to Bowen and then
move himself closer to once again take hold and
control the battery. The process is called

48 SPACEWALKS

MAY

2010

“shepherding,” and might appear as though the
spacewalkers are “inch-worming” along the
truss, except that one person is always holding
a 367-pound battery.

To install the battery in a temporary storage
location on the integrated electrical assembly,
Good will use one of the scoops to attach it
to a multi-use tether , or ball-stack. The
spacewalkers will then remove battery A from
the pallet it launched to the station on (the
space station robotic arm will be holding the
pallet nearby for the spacewalkers’ access) and
shepherd it back to the integrated electrical
assembly for installation in slot 1. The next step
will be to remove battery 2, shepherd it to the

pallet to be installed in slot A, and remove
battery B to be installed in slot 2.

The process will continue until three batteries
have been installed, then the first battery will be
removed from its temporary storage location
and installed in the vacant spot on the pallet.
The order will be:

Battery 1 to temporary storage
Battery A to Slot 1
Battery 2 to Slot A
Battery B to Slot 2
Battery 3 to Slot B
Battery C to Slot 3
Battery 1 to Slot C

MAY 2010

SPACEWALKS

EVA-3

Duration:

6 hours, 30 minutes

EVA Crew:

Good (lead) and Reisman

IV CREW:

Antonelli

Robotic Arm Operators:

Sellers, Bowen and
Dyson

EVA Operations:

•

P6 battery swap, part 2

Good and Reisman will spend the third and
final spacewalk finishing up the battery swap
work that Good and Bowen started. They’ll use
the same procedure and perform the work in
the following order:

Battery 4 to temporary storage
Battery D to Slot 4
Battery 5 to Slot D
Battery E to Slot 5
Battery 6 to Slot E
Battery F to Slot 6
Battery 1 to Slow F

MAY 2010

EXPERIMENTS

The STS-132/ULF-4 mission will deliver

Mini-Research Module-1, a Russian storage
module that also will include a Russian
payloads airlock destined for use on the
Russian Multi-Purpose Laboratory Module
(MLM) once it is launched, and continues the
transition from International Space Station
assembly to continuous scientific research
though the end of the decade.

In addition to the module, Atlantis will deliver
inside MRM, also known as Rassvet, Crew
Health Care System medical support
equipment, and equipment for cold storage and
National Laboratory Pathfinder equipments.

Nearly 150 operating experiments in biological
and biotechnology; human research; physical
and materials sciences; technology
development; Earth and space science, and
educational activities will be conducted aboard
the station, including several pathfinder
investigations under the auspices of the
station’s new role as a U.S. National
Laboratory.

In the past, assembly and maintenance
activities have dominated the available time for
crew work. But as completion of the orbiting
laboratory nears, additional facilities and the
crew members to operate them is expanding
the time devoted to research as a national and
multinational laboratory.

On STS-132, research continues into how the
human body is affected by long-duration stays
in microgravity. Among the experiments being
delivered to the space station, of note, is the
Nutritional Status Assessment, the most
comprehensive in-flight study done by NASA

to date of human physiologic changes during
long-duration spaceflight.

Included in multiple experiments returning on
STS-132 will be NASA’s Integrated Immune
study samples, which will allow researchers to
assess and address the adverse effects of
spaceflight on the human immune system.
JAXA’s NeuroRad, which has studied the
effects of space radiation on nerve cell tumors,
and ESA’s DOSIS-DOBIES, addressing the
distribution and measurement of radiation
inside the space station and crew, are returning
as well.

Also, three major additions to the research
facilities aboard the station – the Minus Eighty-
Degree Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI), a
multi-purpose freezer for storing samples, the
Window Observational Research Facility
(WORF), a facility for Earth science remote
sensing instruments, and Express Rack 7, a
multi-purpose payload rack for experiments –
were delivered by Discovery’s crew on the
recent STS-131 shuttle mission. Those facilities
have been installed and checked out inside the
station and will be used by the Expedition 23
and Expedition 24 crews to expand the station’s
research potential.

SHORT-DURATION EXPERIMENTS TO
BE PERFORMED ON STS-132/ULF4

Research activities on the shuttle and station are
integrated to maximize return during station
assembly. The shuttle serves as a platform for
completing short-duration research, while
providing supplies and sample return for
ongoing research on station.

52 EXPERIMENTS

MAY

2010

Biology and Biotechnology

Microbiology – 2 (Micro-2)

is a fundamental

biology experiment that expands our
understanding of the fundamental basis of how
spaceflight affects the biological and molecular
functions of the cell and the molecular
mechanisms, by which cells and tissues
respond to spaceflight conditions. (NASA)

National Lab Pathfinder – Cells – 4

(NLP-Cells-4)

is a commercial payload serving

as a pathfinder for the use of the space station
as a National Laboratory after station assembly
is complete. It contains several different
experiments that examine cellular replication
and differentiation of cells. This research is
investigating the use of spaceflight to enhance
or improve cellular growth processes utilized in
ground-based research. Principal investigator:
Timothy Hammond, Durham Veterans Affairs
Medical Center, Durham, N.C. (NASA)

National Lab Pathfinder – Vaccine – 9

(NLP-Vaccine-9)

is a commercial payload

serving as a pathfinder for the use of the space
station as a National Laboratory. It contains
several different pathogenic (disease causing)
organisms. This research is investigating the
use of spaceflight to develop potential vaccines
for the prevention of different infections caused
by these pathogens on Earth and in
microgravity. Principal investigator: Timothy
Hammond, Durham Veterans Affairs Medical
Center, Durham, N.C. (NASA)

Human Research

Hypersole

will determine how balance control

is affected by changes in skin sensitivity

pre- and post-spaceflight, specifically changes
in skin sensitivity of the sole of the foot where
receptors related to balance and maintaining

balance while moving are located. Principal
investigator for Hypersole: Dr. Leah R. Bent of
the University of Guelph in Guelph, Ontario,
Canada. (CSA)

Sleep-Wake Actigraphy and Light Exposure
During Spaceflight – Short (Sleep-Short)

will

examine the effects of spaceflight on the sleep
of the astronauts during space shuttle missions.
Advancing state-of-the-art technology for
monitoring, diagnosing and assessing
treatment of sleep patterns is vital to treating
insomnia on Earth and in space. Principal
investigator: Charles A. Czeisler, Brigham and
Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School,
Boston, Mass. (NASA)

Technology

Maui Analysis of Upper Atmospheric
Injections (MAUI)

, a Department of Defense

experiment, observes the space shuttle engine
exhaust plumes from the Maui Space
Surveillance Site in Hawaii when the space
shuttle fires its engines at night or twilight. A
telescope and all-sky imagers will take images
and data while the space shuttle flies over
the Maui site. The images are analyzed to
better understand the interaction between

the spacecraft plume and the upper atmosphere
of Earth. Principal investigator: Rainer A.
Dressler, Hanscom Air Force Base, Lexington,
Mass. (NASA)

Ram Burn Observations (RAMBO)

experiment uses a satellite to observe space
shuttle orbital maneuvering system engine
burns. Its purpose is to improve plume models,
which predict the direction the plume, or

rising column of exhaust, will move as the
shuttle maneuvers in orbit. Understanding the
direction in which the spacecraft engine plume
or exhaust flows could be significant to the safe

MAY 2010

EXPERIMENTS

arrival and departure of spacecraft on current
and future exploration missions. Principal
investigator: William L. Dimpfl, Aerospace
Corporation, Los Angeles. (NASA)

Shuttle Exhaust Ion Turbulence Experiments
(SEITE)

, a Department of Defense experiment,

uses space-based sensors to detect the
ionospheric turbulence inferred from the radar
observations from previous Space Shuttle
Orbital Maneuvering System (OMS) burn
experiments using ground-based radar.

Principal investigator: Paul A. Bernhardt,
Naval Research Laboratory, Washington D.C.
(NASA)

Shuttle Ionospheric Modification with Pulsed
Localized Exhaust Experiments (SIMPLEX)

a Department of Defense experiment,
investigates plasma turbulence driven by

rocket exhaust in the ionosphere using

ground-based radars. Principal investigator:
Paul A. Bernhardt, Naval Research Lab,
Washington D.C. (NASA)

EXPERIMENTS TO BE DELIVERED TO THE
STATION ON STS-132/ULF4

Biology and Biotechnology

Gravity Related Genes in Arabidopsis – A
(Genara-A)

seeks to provide an understanding

of microgravity-induced, altered-molecular
activities that will help to find plant systems
that compensate the negative impact on plant
growth in space. Principal investigator:

Eugenie Carnero-Diaz, Ph.D., Universite Pierre
et Marie Curie, Paris, France. (ESA).

Regulation by Gravity of Ferulate Formation
in Cell Walls of Rice Seedlings (Ferulate)

tests

the hypothesis that microgravity modifies
ferulic acid, thereby decreasing the mechanical
strength of cell walls. Principal investigator:

Kazuyuki Wakabayashi, Osaka City University,
Osaka, Japan. (JAXA)

Investigation of the Osteoclastic and
Osteoblastic Responses to Microgravity Using
Goldfish Scales (Fish Scales)

will examine

regenerating scales collected from anesthetized
goldfish in microgravity using the Cell

Biology Experiment Facility (CBEF); the results
will be compared with ground controls.

Principal investigator: Nobuo Suzuki,

Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa,
Japan. (JAXA)

Hydrotropism and Auxin-Inducible Gene
Expression in Roots Grown Under
Microgravity Conditions (HydroTropi)

determines whether hydrotropic response can
be used for the control of cucumber (

Cucumis

sativus

) root growth orientation in microgravity.

Principal investigator: Hideyuki Takahashi,
Ph.D., Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.

(JAXA)

Microbial Dynamics in International Space
Station (Microbe-I)

experiment monitors

microbes on board the space station that may
affect the health of crew members. Principal
investigator: Koichi Makimura, Teikyo
University, Otsuka, Hachioji, Japan. (JAXA)

Educational Activities

Cube Lab

is a low-cost 1 kilogram platform for

educational projects on the space station.

(NASA)

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency –
Education Payload Observation (JAXA-EPO)

activities demonstrate educational events and
artistic activities on board the space station to
enlighten the general public about microgravity
research and human spaceflight. Principal

54 EXPERIMENTS

MAY

2010

investigator: Naoko Matsuo, Japan Aerospace
Exploration Agency, Tsukuba, Japan. (JAXA)

Human Research

Bisphosphonates as a Countermeasure to
Spaceflight Induced Bone Loss
(Bisphosphonates)

examines whether

antiresorptive agents, which help reduce bone
loss, in conjunction with the routine in-flight
exercise program, will protect station crew
members from the regional decreases in bone
mineral density documented on previous space
station missions. Principal investigators:

Adrian LeBlanc, Division of Space Life Sciences,
Universities Space Research Association,
Houston; Toshio Matsumoto, University of
Tokushima, Kuramoto, Japan. (NASA)

Nutritional Status Assessment (Nutrition)

the most comprehensive in-flight study done by
NASA to date of human physiologic changes
during long-duration spaceflight. This study
includes measures of bone metabolism,
oxidative damage, nutritional assessments, and
hormonal changes. This study will affect

both the definition of nutritional requirements
and development of food systems for

future space exploration missions. This
experiment will also help to understand the
impact of countermeasures (exercise and
pharmaceuticals) on nutritional status and
nutrient requirements for astronauts. Principal
investigator: Scott M. Smith, Johnson Space
Center, Houston. (NASA)

Dietary Intake Can Predict and Protect
Against Changes in Bone Metabolism During
Spaceflight and Recovery (Pro K)

investigation

is NASA’s first evaluation of a dietary
countermeasure to lessen bone loss of

astronauts. Pro K proposes that a flight diet
with a decreased ratio of animal protein to
potassium will lead to decreased loss of bone
mineral. Pro K will have an impact on the
definition of nutritional requirements and
development of food systems for future
exploration missions, and could yield a method
of counteracting bone loss that would have
virtually no risk of side effects. Principal
investigator: Scott M. Smith, Johnson Space
Center, Houston. (NASA)

National Aeronautics and Space
Administration Biological Specimen
Repository (Repository)

is a storage bank that

is used to maintain biological specimens over
extended periods of time and under well-
controlled conditions. Biological samples from
the space station, including blood and urine,
are collected, processed and archived during
the preflight, in-flight and post-flight phases of
space station missions. This investigation has
been developed to archive biosamples for

use as a resource for future spaceflight-related
research. Principal investigator: Kathleen A.
McMonigal, Johnson Space Center, Houston.
(NASA)

Physical and Materials Science

Selectable Optical Diagnostics Instrument –
Aggregation of Colloidal Suspensions
(SODI-Colloid)

studies the aggregation (mass)

phenomena of colloids (tiny solid particles
suspended in a liquid) in the microgravity
environment on board the space station.

Principal investigator: Gerard Wegdam, Van
der Waals-Zeeman Institute, University of
Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

(ESA)

MAY 2010

EXPERIMENTS

Technology

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency –
Commercial Payload Program
(JAXA-Commercial Payload Program)

consists

of commercial items sponsored by JAXA sent to
the space station to experience the microgravity
environment. (JAXA)

SAMPLES/EXPERIMENTS TO BE
RETURNED ON STS-132/ULF4

Biology and Biotechnology

APEX-CSA2

is one of a pair of investigations

that use the Advanced Biological Research
System (ABRS). APEX-CSA2 will compare the
genes and tissue of the white spruce (Picea
glauca) grown in space with those grown on
Earth to help researchers understand the
influence of gravity on plant physiology,
growth and wood formation. APEX-CSA2 is
led by Dr. Jean Beaulieu of Natural Resources
Canada’s Canadian Wood Fibre Centre in
Quebec City, Quebec, Canada with the close
collaboration of the Canadian Space Agency
(CSA) and NASA.

Mycological Evaluation of Crew Exposure to
Space Station Ambient Air (Myco)

evaluates

the risk of microorganisms via inhalation and
adhesion to the skin to determine which fungi
act as allergens on the space station. Principal
investigator: Chiaki Mukai, Japan Aerospace
Exploration Agency, Tsukuba, Japan. (JAXA)

Biomedical Analyses of Human Hair Exposed
to a Long-term Spaceflight (Hair)

examines

the effect of long-duration spaceflight on

gene expression and trace element metabolism
in the human body. Principal investigator:
Chiaki Mukai, Japan Aerospace Exploration
Agency, Tsukuba, Japan. (JAXA)

Molecular Mechanism of Microgravity-
Induced Skeletal Muscle Atrophy –
Physiological Relevance of Cbl-b Ubiquitin
Ligase (MyoLab)

studies a rat muscle gene

modified cell line to determine the effects of
microgravity. Principal investigator: Takeshi
Nikawa, The University of Tokushima,
Tokoshima, Japan. (JAXA)

Biological Effects of Space Radiation and
Microgravity on Mammalian Cells
(NeuroRad)

studies the effects of space

radiation on the human neuroblastoma (nerve
cell containing a tumor) cell line in
microgravity. Principal investigator:

Hideyuki Majima, Kagoshima University,
Kagoshima, Japan. (JAXA)

Comprehensive Characterization of Micro-
organisms and Allergens in Spacecraft
(SWAB)

uses advanced molecular techniques to

comprehensively evaluate microbes on board
the space station, including pathogens
(organisms that may cause disease). It also
will track changes in the microbial community
as spacecraft visit the station and new station
modules are added.  This study allows an
assessment of the risk of microbes to the crew
and the spacecraft.  Principal investigator:

Duane L. Pierson, Johnson Space Center,
Houston. (NASA)

Waving and Coiling of Arabidopsis Roots at
Different g-levels (WAICO)

studies the

interaction of circumnutation (the successive
bowing or bending in different directions of
the growing tip of the stems and roots) and
gravitropism (a tendency to grow toward or
away from gravity) in microgravity and 1-g
of Arabidopsis thaliana. Principal investigator:
Guenther Scherer, Leibniz Universitat
Hannover, Hannover, Germany. (ESA)

56 EXPERIMENTS

MAY

2010

Human Research

Mental Representation of Spatial Cues

During Spaceflight (3D-Space)

experiment

investigates the effects of exposure to
microgravity on the mental representation of
spatial cues by astronauts during and after
spaceflight. The absence of the gravitational
frame of reference during spaceflight could be
responsible for disturbances in the mental
representation of spatial cues, such as the
perception of horizontal and vertical lines, the
perception of an object’s depth, and the
perception of a target’s distance. Principal
investigator: Gilles Clement, Centre National
de la Recherche Scientifique, Toulouse, France.
(ESA)

Validation of Procedures for Monitoring

Crew Member Immune Function (Integrated
Immune)

will assess the clinical risks resulting

from the adverse effects of spaceflight on the
human immune system and will validate a
flight-compatible immune monitoring strategy.
Researchers will collect and analyze blood,
urine and saliva samples from crew members
before, during and after spaceflight to monitor
changes in the immune system. Changes in the
immune system will be monitored by collecting
and analyzing blood and saliva samples from
crew members during flight and blood, urine,
and saliva samples before and after spaceflight.
Principal investigator: Clarence Sams, Johnson
Space Center, Houston. (NASA)

IntraVenous Fluid GENeration for
Exploration Missions (IVGEN)

demonstrates

the capability to purify water to the standards
required for intravenous administration, then
mix the water with salt crystals to produce
normal saline. This hardware is a prototype
that will allow flight surgeons more options to
treat ill or injured crew members during future

long-duration exploration missions. Hardware
project scientist: John McQuillen, Glenn
Research Center, Cleveland. (NASA)

Changes in Nutrient Contents in Space Food
After Long-term Spaceflight (Space Food
Nutrient)

assesses the changes in nutrient

contents in Japanese space foods after exposure
to the space station environment for long-
duration spaceflight. Principal investigator:
Akiko Matsumoto, Japan Aerospace
Exploration Agency, Tsukuba, Japan. (JAXA)

Physical and Materials Science

Materials Science Laboratory – Columnar-to-
Equiaxed Transition in Solidification
Processing and Microstructure Formation in
Casting of Technical Alloys Under Diffusive
and Magnetically Controlled Convective
Conditions (MSL-CETSOL and MICAST)

are

two investigations that support research into
metallurgical solidification, semiconductor
crystal growth (Bridgman and zone melting),
and measurement of thermophysical properties
of materials. This is a cooperative investigation
with the European Space Agency (ESA)

and National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA) for accommodation
and operation aboard the space station.

Principal investigators: Charles-Andre Gandin,
Ecole de Mines de Paris, ARMINES-CEMEF;
Sophia Antipolis, France (CETSOL); Lorenz
Ratke, German Aerospace Center, Cologne,
Germany (MICAST). (NASA)

Space Dynamically Responding Ultrasonic
Matrix System (SpaceDRUMS)

comprises

a suite of hardware that enables containerless
processing (samples of experimental materials
can be processed without ever touching a
container wall). Using a collection of

20 acoustic beam emitters, SpaceDRUMS can

MAY 2010

EXPERIMENTS

completely suspend a baseball-sized solid or
liquid sample during combustion or heat-based
synthesis. Because the samples never contact
the container walls, materials can be produced
in microgravity with an unparalleled quality of
shape and composition. The ultimate goal of
the SpaceDRUMS hardware is to assist with the
development of advanced materials of a
commercial quantity and quality, using the
space-based experiments to guide development
of manufacturing processes on Earth. Principal
investigator: Jacques Guigne, Guigne Space
Systems Inc., Paradise, Newfoundland, Canada.
(NASA)

Selectable Optical Diagnostics Instrument –
Diffusion and Soret Coefficient (SODI-DSC)

studies the diffusion in six different liquids
over time in the absence of convection induced
by the gravity field. (ESA)

Earth and Space Sciences

Dose Distribution Inside ISS – Dosimetry
for Biological Experiments in Space

(DOSIS-DOBIES)

provides documentation of

the actual nature and distribution of the
radiation field inside the space station and
develops a standard method to measure the
absorbed doses in biological samples on board
the station. Principal investigator: Guenther
Reitz, German Aerospace Center, Cologne,
Germany. (ESA)

For more information on the science performed
on the International Space Station, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/

science/

DETAILED SUPPLEMENTARY
OBJECTIVES AND DETAILED TEST
OBJECTIVES

DSO-641

Risk of Orthostatic Intolerance During
Re-exposure to Gravity

. One of the most

important physiological changes that may
negatively impact crew safety is post-flight
orthostatic intolerance. Astronauts who have
orthostatic intolerance are unable to maintain a
normal systolic blood pressure during head-up
tilt have elevated heart rates and may
experience presyncope or syncope with upright
posture. This problem affects about 30 percent
of astronauts who fly short-duration missions
(4–18 days) and 83 percent of astronauts who
fly long-duration missions. This condition
creates a potential hazard for crew members
during re-entry and after landing, especially for
emergency egress contingencies.

Two countermeasures are currently employed
to ameliorate post-flight orthostatic intolerance:
fluid loading and an antigravity suit.

Unfortunately, neither of these are completely
effective for all phases of landing and egress;
thus, continued countermeasure development
is important. Preliminary evidence has shown
that commercial compression hose that include
abdominal compression can significantly
improve orthostatic tolerance. These data are
similar to clinical studies using inflatable
compression garments.

Custom-fitted, commercial compression
garments will be evaluated as countermeasures
to immediate and longer-term post-flight
orthostatic intolerance. These garments will
provide a continuous, graded compression
from the foot to the hip, and a static

58 EXPERIMENTS

MAY

2010

compression over the lower abdomen. These
garments should provide superior fit and
comfort as well as being easier to don. Tilt
testing will be used as an orthostatic challenge
before and after spaceflight.

DTO 805 Crosswind Landing Perfor-
mance (If opportunity)

The purpose of this DTO is to demonstrate the
capability to perform a manually controlled
landing in the presence of a crosswind. The
testing is done in two steps.

1. Pre-launch: Ensure planning will allow

selection of a runway with Microwave
Scanning Beam Landing System support,
which is a set of dual transmitters located
beside the runway providing precision
navigation vertically, horizontally and
longitudinally with respect to the runway.
This precision navigation subsystem helps
provide a higher probability of a more
precise landing with a crosswind of 10 to
15 knots as late in the flight as possible.

2. Entry: This test requires that the crew

perform a manually controlled landing in
the presence of a 90-degree crosswind
component of 10 to 15 knots steady state.

During a crosswind landing, the drag chute will
be deployed after nose gear touchdown when
the vehicle is stable and tracking the runway
centerline.

DTO 900 Solid Rocket Booster Thrust
Oscillation

The Space Shuttle Program is continuing to
gather data on pressure oscillation, or periodic
variation, a phenomenon that regularly occurs
within solid rocket motors through the
remaining shuttle flights. The data obtained

from five flights designated to acquire pressure
oscillation data have provided a better
understanding of solid rocket motor dynamics.
The collection of these additional data points
will provide greater statistical significance of
the data for use in dynamic analyses of the four
segment motors. These analyses and computer
models will be used for future propulsion
system designs.

The pressure oscillation that is observed in
solid rocket motors is similar to the hum made
when blowing into a bottle. At 1.5 psi, or
pounds per square inch, a pressure wave will
move up and down the motor from the front to
the rear, generating acoustic noise as well as
physical loads in the structure. These data are
necessary to help propulsion engineers confirm
modeling techniques of pressure oscillations
and the loads they create. As NASA engineers
develop alternate propulsion designs for use in
NASA, they will take advantage of current
designs from which they can learn and
measure.

In an effort to obtain data to correlate pressure
oscillation with the loads it can generate, the
Space Shuttle Program is continuing to use the
Enhanced Data Acquisition System to gather
detailed information.

The Enhanced Data Acquisition System

, or

EDAS, is a data acquisition system that will
record pressure data from one of the Reusable
Solid Rocket Booster Operational Pressure
Transducers, or OPT, and from accelerometers
and strain gages placed on the forward skirt
walls. These data will provide engineers with
time synchronized data that will allow them to
determine the accelerations and loads that are
transferred through the structure due to the
pressure oscillation forces.

MAY 2010

HISTORY OF SPACE SHUTTLE ATLANTIS

Space shuttle Atlantis’ spaceflight career began
on Oct. 3, 1985, with launch on its maiden
voyage to begin STS-51J – a dedicated
Department of Defense mission. It was the
fourth orbital vehicle manufactured following
Columbia, Challenger and Discovery.

Construction of Atlantis, referenced internally
by its airframe number OV-104, began in March
1980 at the Palmdale, Calif., manufacturing
plant. It was transported to Kennedy Space
Center in April 1985 ahead of its maiden
voyage.

BACKGROUND

Atlantis was named after the primary research
vessel for the Woods Hole Oceanographic
Institute in Massachusetts from 1930 to 1966.
The two-masted, 460-ton ketch was the first
U.S. vessel to be used for oceanographic
research. Such research was considered to be
one of the last bastions of the sailing vessel as
steam-and-diesel-powered vessels dominated
the waterways.

The steel-hulled ocean research ship was
approximately 140 feet long and 29 feet wide to
add to her stability. She featured a crew of 17
and room for five scientists. The research
personnel worked in two onboard laboratories,
examining water samples and marine life
brought to the surface by two large winches
from thousands of feet below the surface. The
water samples taken at different depths varied
in temperature, providing clues to the flow of
ocean currents. The crew also used the first
electronic sounding devices to map the ocean
floor.

Space shuttle Atlantis has carried on the spirit
of the sailing vessel with voyages of its own,
including missions to the Russian Space Station
Mir, deployment of the Galileo planetary
spacecraft in 1989 and the deployment of

the Arthur Holley Compton Gamma Ray
Observatory in 1991.

UPGRADES AND FEATURES

Atlantis benefited from lessons learned in

the construction and testing of Enterprise,
Columbia, Challenger and Discovery. At
rollout, its weight was 6,974 pounds less than
Columbia.

The experience gained during its assembly also
enabled Atlantis to be completed with a

49 percent reduction in man hours (compared
to Columbia). Much of this time savings was
attributed to the greater use of thermal
protection blankets on the upper orbiter body
instead of tiles.

During the construction of Discovery and
Atlantis, NASA opted to have the various
contractors manufacture a set of “structural
spares” to facilitate the repair of an orbiter
should one be damaged. This contract was
valued at $389 million and consisted of a spare
aft-fuselage, mid-fuselage, forward fuselage
halves, vertical tail and rudder, wings, elevons
and a body flap.

These spares were used later in the assembly of
Endeavour.

HISTORY OF SPACE SHUTTLE ATLANTIS

MAY 2010

After the loss of Challenger, Atlantis was
shipped to California for upgrades and
modifications, including

•

A drag chute

•

New plumbing to allow for extended
duration missions

•

More than 800 new heat protection tiles and
blankets

•

New insulation for the main landing gear
doors

•

Structural modifications to its airframe

Altogether, 165 modifications were made to
Atlantis over the 20 months it spent in the
Palmdale, Calif., manufacturing facility.

CONSTRUCTION MILESTONES

Jan. 29, 1979
Contract Award

March 3, 1980
Start structural assembly of Crew Module

Nov. 23, 1981
Start structural assembly of aft-fuselage

June 13, 1983
Wings arrive at Palmdale from Grumman

Dec. 2, 1983
Start of Final Assembly

April 10, 1984
Complete final assembly

March 6, 1985
Rollout from Palmdale

April 3, 1985
Overland transport from Palmdale to Edwards
Air Force Base, Calif.

April 12-13, 1985
Ferry Flight from Edwards to Kennedy Space
Center (overnight 4/12 at Ellington)

Sept. 5, 1985
Flight Readiness Firing

Oct. 3, 1985
First Flight (STS-51J)

May 14, 2010
Final Scheduled Flight (STS-132)

MAY 2010

HISTORY OF SPACE SHUTTLE ATLANTIS

FLIGHT MILESTONES

1. STS-51J (Oct. 3-7, 1985)

1,682,641 miles

2. STS-61B (Nov. 26-Dec. 3, 1985)

2,466,956 miles

3. STS-27 (Dec. 2-6, 1988)

1,812,075 miles

4. STS-30 (May 4-8, 1989)

1,477,500 miles

5. STS-34 (Oct. 18-23, 1989)

1,800,000 miles

6. STS-36 (Feb. 28-March 4, 1990)

1,837,962 miles

7. STS-38 (Nov. 15-20, 1990)

2,045,056 miles

8. STS-37 (April 5-11, 1991)

2,487,075 miles

9. STS-43 (Aug. 2-11, 1991)

3,700,400 miles

10. STS-44 (Nov. 24-Dec. 1, 1991)

2,890,067 miles

11. STS-45 (March, 24-April 2, 1992)

3,274,946 miles

12. STS-46 (July 31-Aug. 8, 1992)

3,321,007 miles

13. STS-66 (Nov. 3-14, 1994)

4,554,791 miles

14. STS-71 (June 27-July 7, 1995)

4,100,000 miles

15. STS-74 (Nov. 12-20, 1995)

3,400,000 miles

16. STS-76 (March 22-31, 1996)

3,800,000 miles

17. STS-79 (Sept. 16-26, 1996)

3,900,000 miles

18. STS-81 (Jan. 12-22, 1997)

3,900,000 miles

19. STS-84 (May 15-24, 1997)

3,600,000 miles

20. STS-86 (Sept. 25-Oct. 6, 1997)

4,225,000 miles

21. STS-101 (May 19-29, 2000)

5,076,281 miles

22. STS-106 (Sept. 8-20, 2000)

4,919,243 miles

23. STS-98 (Feb. 7-20, 2001)

5,369,576 miles

24. STS-104 (July 12-24, 2001)

5,309,429 miles

25. STS-110 (April 8-19, 2002)

4,525,299 miles

26. STS-112 (Oct. 7-18, 2002)

4,513,015 miles

27. STS-115 (Sept. 9-21, 2006)

4,910,288 miles

28. STS-117 (June 8-22, 2007)

5,809,363 miles

29. STS-122 (Feb. 7-20,2008)

5,296,842 miles

30. STS-125 (May 11-24, 2009)

5,276,000 miles

31. STS-129 (Nov. 16-27, 2009)

4,490,138 miles

32. STS-132 (May 14-26, 2010)

Approx. 4.4 million

Total Atlantis Miles

115,770,929 (through STS-129)

MAY 2010

SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA

SHUTTLE ABORT MODES

Redundant Sequence Launch Sequencer
(RSLS) Aborts

These occur when the on-board shuttle
computers detect a problem and command a
halt in the launch sequence after taking over
from the ground launch sequencer and before
solid rocket booster ignition.

Ascent Aborts

Selection of an ascent abort mode may become
necessary if there is a failure that affects vehicle
performance, such as the failure of a space
shuttle main engine or an orbital maneuvering
system engine. Other failures requiring early
termination of a flight, such as a cabin leak,
might also require the selection of an abort
mode. There are two basic types of ascent abort
modes for space shuttle missions: intact aborts
and contingency aborts. Intact aborts are
designed to provide a safe return of the orbiter
to a planned landing site. Contingency aborts
are designed to permit flight crew survival
following more severe failures when an intact
abort is not possible. A contingency abort
would generally result in a ditch operation.

Intact Aborts

There are four types of intact aborts: abort to
orbit (ATO), abort once around (AOA),
transoceanic abort landing (TAL) and return to
launch site (RTLS).

Return to Launch Site

The RTLS abort mode is designed to allow the
return of the orbiter, crew, and payload to the

launch site, KSC, approximately 25 minutes
after liftoff.

The RTLS profile is designed to accommodate
the loss of thrust from one space shuttle main
engine between liftoff and approximately
four

minutes 20 seconds, after which not

enough main propulsion system propellant
remains to return to the launch site. An RTLS
can be considered to consist of three stages – a
powered stage, during which the space shuttle
main engines are still thrusting; an external
tank separation phase; and the glide phase,
during which the orbiter glides to a landing at
the KSC. The powered RTLS phase begins with
the crew selection of the RTLS abort, after solid
rocket booster separation. The crew selects the
abort mode by positioning the abort rotary
switch to RTLS and depressing the abort push
button. The time at which the RTLS is selected
depends on the reason for the abort. For
example, a three-engine RTLS is selected at the
last moment, about 3 minutes, 34 seconds into
the mission; whereas an RTLS chosen due to an
engine out at liftoff is selected at the earliest
time, about 2 minutes, 20 seconds into the
mission (after solid rocket booster separation).

After RTLS is selected, the vehicle continues
downrange to dissipate excess main propulsion
system propellant. The goal is to leave only
enough main propulsion system propellant to
be able to turn the vehicle around, fly back
toward the KSC and achieve the proper main
engine cutoff conditions so the vehicle can glide
to the KSC after external tank separation.

During the downrange phase, a pitch-around
maneuver is initiated (the time depends in part
on the time of a space shuttle main engine

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failure) to orient the orbiter/external tank
configuration to a heads-up attitude, pointing
toward the launch site. At this time, the vehicle
is still moving away from the launch site, but
the space shuttle main engines are now
thrusting to null the downrange velocity. In
addition, excess orbital maneuvering system
and reaction control system propellants are
dumped by continuous orbital maneuvering
system and reaction control system engine
thrustings to improve the orbiter weight and
center of gravity for the glide phase and
landing.

The vehicle will reach the desired main engine
cutoff point with less than 2 percent excess
propellant remaining in the external tank. At
main engine cutoff minus 20 seconds, a pitch
down maneuver (called powered pitch-down)
takes the mated vehicle to the required external
tank separation attitude and pitch rate. After
main engine cutoff has been commanded, the
external tank separation sequence begins,
including a reaction control system maneuver
that ensures that the orbiter does not recontact
the external tank and that the orbiter has
achieved the necessary pitch attitude to begin
the glide phase of the RTLS.

After the reaction control system maneuver has
been completed, the glide phase of the RTLS
begins. From then on, the RTLS is handled
similarly to a normal entry.

Transoceanic Abort Landing

The TAL abort mode was developed to
improve the options available when a space
shuttle main engine fails after the last RTLS
opportunity but before the first time that an
AOA can be accomplished with only two space
shuttle main engines or when a major orbiter
system failure, for example, a large cabin

pressure leak or cooling system failure, occurs
after the last RTLS opportunity, making it
imperative to land as quickly as possible.

In a TAL abort, the vehicle continues on a
ballistic trajectory across the Atlantic Ocean to
land at a predetermined runway. Landing
occurs about 45 minutes after launch. The
landing site is selected near the normal ascent
ground track of the orbiter to make the most
efficient use of space shuttle main engine
propellant. The landing site also must have the
necessary runway length, weather conditions
and U.S. State Department approval. The three
landing sites that have been identified for a
launch are Zaragoza, Spain; Moron, Spain; and
Istres, France.

To select the TAL abort mode, the crew must
place the abort rotary switch in the TAL/AOA
position and depress the abort push button
before main engine cutoff (depressing it after
main engine cutoff selects the AOA abort
mode). The TAL abort mode begins sending
commands to steer the vehicle toward the plane
of the landing site. It also rolls the vehicle
heads up before main engine cutoff and sends
commands to begin an orbital maneuvering
system propellant dump (by burning the
propellants through the orbital maneuvering
system engines and the reaction control system
engines). This dump is necessary to increase
vehicle performance (by decreasing weight) to
place the center of gravity in the proper place
for vehicle control and to decrease the vehicle’s
landing weight. TAL is handled like a normal
entry.

Abort to Orbit

An ATO is an abort mode used to boost the
orbiter to a safe orbital altitude when
performance has been lost and it is impossible

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to reach the planned orbital altitude. If a space
shuttle main engine fails in a region that results
in a main engine cutoff under speed, the MCC
will determine that an abort mode is necessary
and will inform the crew. The orbital
maneuvering system engines would be used to
place the orbiter in a circular orbit.

Abort Once Around

The AOA abort mode is used in cases in which
vehicle performance has been lost to such an
extent that either it is impossible to achieve a
viable orbit or not enough orbital maneuvering
system propellant is available to accomplish the
orbital maneuvering system thrusting
maneuver to place the orbiter on orbit and the
deorbit thrusting maneuver. In addition, an
AOA is used in cases in which a major systems
problem (cabin leak, loss of cooling) makes it
necessary to land quickly. In the AOA abort
mode, one orbital maneuvering system
thrusting sequence is made to adjust the
post-main engine cutoff orbit so a second
orbital maneuvering system thrusting sequence
will result in the vehicle deorbiting and landing
at the AOA landing site (White Sands, N.M.;
Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.; or the Kennedy
Space Center, Fla). Thus, an AOA results in the
orbiter circling the Earth once and landing
about 90 minutes after liftoff.

After the deorbit thrusting sequence has been
executed, the flight crew flies to a landing at the
planned site much as it would for a nominal
entry.

Contingency Aborts

Contingency aborts are caused by loss of more
than one main engine or failures in other
systems. Loss of one main engine while
another is stuck at a low thrust setting also may

necessitate a contingency abort. Such an abort
would maintain orbiter integrity for in-flight
crew escape if a landing cannot be achieved at a
suitable landing field.

Contingency aborts due to system failures other
than those involving the main engines would
normally result in an intact recovery of vehicle
and crew. Loss of more than one main engine
may, depending on engine failure times, result
in a safe runway landing. However, in most
three-engine-out cases during ascent, the
orbiter would have to be ditched. The inflight
crew escape system would be used before
ditching the orbiter.

Abort Decisions

There is a definite order of preference for the
various abort modes. The type of failure and the
time of the failure determine which type of abort
is selected. In cases where performance loss is
the only factor, the preferred modes are ATO,
AOA, TAL and RTLS, in that order. The mode
chosen is the highest one that can be completed
with the remaining vehicle performance.

In the case of some support system failures,
such as cabin leaks or vehicle cooling problems,
the preferred mode might be the one that will
end the mission most quickly. In these cases,
TAL or RTLS might be preferable to AOA or
ATO. A contingency abort is never chosen if
another abort option exists.

Mission Control Houston is prime for calling
these aborts because it has a more precise
knowledge of the orbiter’s position than the
crew can obtain from on-board systems. Before
main engine cutoff, Mission Control makes
periodic calls to the crew to identify which
abort mode is (or is not) available. If ground
communications are lost, the flight crew has

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onboard methods, such as cue cards, dedicated
displays and display information, to determine
the abort region. Which abort mode is selected
depends on the cause and timing of the failure
causing the abort and which mode is safest or
improves mission success. If the problem is a
space shuttle main engine failure, the flight
crew and Mission Control Center select the best
option available at the time a main engine fails.

If the problem is a system failure that
jeopardizes the vehicle, the fastest abort mode
that results in the earliest vehicle landing is
chosen. RTLS and TAL are the quickest options
(35 minutes), whereas an AOA requires about
90 minutes. Which of these is selected depends
on the time of the failure with three good space
shuttle main engines.

The flight crew selects the abort mode by
positioning an abort mode switch and
depressing an abort push button.

SHUTTLE ABORT HISTORY

RSLS Abort History

(STS-41 D) June 26, 1984

The countdown for the second launch attempt
for Discovery’s maiden flight ended at T-4
seconds when the orbiter’s computers detected
a sluggish valve in main engine No. 3. The
main engine was replaced and Discovery was
finally launched on Aug. 30, 1984.

(STS-51 F) July 12, 1985

The countdown for Challenger’s launch was
halted at T-3 seconds when onboard computers
detected a problem with a coolant valve on
main engine No. 2. The valve was replaced and
Challenger was launched on July 29, 1985.

(STS-55) March 22, 1993

The countdown for Columbia’s launch was
halted by onboard computers at T-3 seconds
following a problem with purge pressure
readings in the oxidizer preburner on main
engine No. 2. Columbia’s three main engines
were replaced on the launch pad, and the flight
was rescheduled behind Discovery’s launch
on STS-56. Columbia finally launched on
April 26, 1993.

(STS-51) Aug. 12, 1993

The countdown for Discovery’s third launch
attempt ended at the T-3 second mark when
onboard computers detected the failure of one
of four sensors in main engine No. 2 which
monitor the flow of hydrogen fuel to the
engine. All of Discovery’s main engines were
ordered replaced on the launch pad, delaying
the shuttle’s fourth launch attempt until

Sept. 12, 1993.

(STS-68) Aug. 18, 1994

The countdown for Endeavour’s first launch
attempt ended 1.9 seconds before liftoff when
onboard computers detected higher than
acceptable readings in one channel of a sensor
monitoring the discharge temperature of the
high pressure oxidizer turbopump in main
engine No. 3. A test firing of the engine at the
Stennis Space Center in Mississippi on
September 2nd confirmed that a slight drift in a
fuel flow meter in the engine caused a slight
increase in the turbopump’s temperature. The
test firing also confirmed a slightly slower start
for main engine No. 3 during the pad abort,
which could have contributed to the higher
temperatures. After Endeavour was brought
back to the Vehicle Assembly Building to be
outfitted with three replacement engines,

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NASA managers set Oct. 2 as the date for
Endeavour’s second launch attempt.

Abort to Orbit History

(STS-51 F) July 29, 1985

After an RSLS abort on July 12, 1985,
Challenger was launched on July 29, 1985.
Five minutes and 45 seconds after launch, a
sensor problem resulted in the shutdown of
center engine No. 1, resulting in a safe “abort to
orbit” and successful completion of the mission.

SPACE SHUTTLE MAIN ENGINES

Developed in the 1970s by NASA’s Marshall
Space Flight Center, in Huntsville, Ala., the
space shuttle main engine is the most advanced
liquid-fueled rocket engine ever built. Every
space shuttle main engine is tested and proven
flight worthy at NASA’s Stennis Space Center
in south Mississippi, before installation on
an orbiter. Its main features include variable
thrust, high performance reusability, high
redundancy and a fully integrated engine
controller.

The shuttle’s three main engines are mounted
on the orbiter aft fuselage in a triangular
pattern. Spaced so that they are movable
during launch, the engines are used, in
conjunction with the solid rocket boosters, to
steer the shuttle vehicle.

Each of these powerful main engines is 14 feet
long, weighs about 7,000 pounds and is 7.5 feet
in diameter at the end of its nozzle.

The engines operate for about 8.5 minutes
during liftoff and ascent, burning more than
500,000 gallons of super-cold liquid hydrogen
and liquid oxygen propellants stored in the
external tank attached to the underside of the

shuttle. The engines shut down just before the
shuttle, traveling at about 17,000 miles per
hour, reaches orbit.

The main engine operates at greater
temperature extremes than any mechanical
system in common use today. The fuel,
liquefied hydrogen at -423 degrees Fahrenheit,
is the second coldest liquid on Earth. When it
and the liquid oxygen are combusted, the
temperature in the main combustion chamber is
6,000 degrees Fahrenheit, hotter than the
boiling point of iron.

The main engines use a staged combustion
cycle so that all propellants entering the engines
are used to produce thrust, or power, more
efficiently than any previous rocket engine. In
a staged combustion cycle, propellants are first
burned partially at high pressure and relatively
low temperature, and then burned completely
at high temperature and pressure in the main
combustion chamber. The rapid mixing of the
propellants under these conditions is so
complete that 99 percent of the fuel is burned.

At normal operating level, each engine
generates 490,847 pounds of thrust, measured
in a vacuum. Full power is 512,900 pounds of
thrust; minimum power is 316,100 pounds of
thrust.

The engine can be throttled by varying the
output of the preburners, thus varying the
speed of the high-pressure turbopumps and,
therefore, the flow of the propellant.

At about 26 seconds into ascent, the main
engines are throttled down to 316,000 pounds
of thrust to keep the dynamic pressure on the
vehicle below a specified level, about
580 pounds per square foot, known as max q.
Then, the engines are throttled back up to

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normal operating level at about 60 seconds.
This reduces stress on the vehicle. The main
engines are throttled down again at about
seven minutes, 40 seconds into the mission to
maintain three g’s, three times the Earth’s
gravitational pull, reducing stress on the crew
and the vehicle. This acceleration level is about
one-third the acceleration experienced on
previous crewed space vehicles.

About 10 seconds before main engine cutoff, or
MECO, the cutoff sequence begins. About
three seconds later the main engines are
commanded to begin throttling at 10 percent
thrust per second until they achieve 65 percent
thrust. This is held for about 6.7 seconds, and
the engines are shut down.

The engine performance has the highest thrust
for its weight of any engine yet developed. In
fact, one space shuttle main engine generates
sufficient thrust to maintain the flight of two
and one-half Boeing 747 airplanes.

The space shuttle main engine also is the first
rocket engine to use a built-in electronic digital
controller, or computer. The controller accepts
commands from the orbiter for engine start,
change in throttle, shutdown and monitoring of
engine operation.

NASA continues to increase the reliability and
safety of shuttle flights through a series of
enhancements to the space shuttle main
engines. The engines were modified in 1988,
1995, 1998, 2001 and 2007. Modifications
include new high-pressure fuel and oxidizer
turbopumps that reduce maintenance and
operating costs of the engine, a two-duct
powerhead that reduces pressure and
turbulence in the engine, and a single-coil heat
exchanger that lowers the number of post flight
inspections required. Another modification

incorporates a large-throat main combustion
chamber that improves the engine’s reliability
by reducing pressure and temperature in the
chamber.

The most recent engine enhancement is the
Advanced Health Management System, or
AHMS, which made its first flight in 2007.
AHMS is a controller upgrade that provides
new monitoring and insight into the health of
the two most complex components of the space
shuttle main engine – the high pressure fuel
turbopump and the high pressure oxidizer
turbopump. New advanced digital signal
processors monitor engine vibration and have
the ability to shut down an engine if vibration
exceeds safe limits. AHMS was developed by
engineers at Marshall.

After the orbiter lands, the engines are removed
and returned to a processing facility at NASA’s
Kennedy Space Center, Fla., where they are
rechecked and readied for the next flight. Some
components are returned to the main engine’s
prime contractor, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne,
West Palm Beach, Fla., for regular maintenance.
The main engines are designed to operate for
7.5 accumulated hours.

SPACE SHUTTLE SOLID ROCKET
BOOSTERS (SRB)

The two solid rocket boosters required for a
space shuttle launch and first two minutes
of powered flight boast the largest
solid-propellant motors ever flown. They are
the first large rockets designed for reuse and
are the only solid rocket motors rated for
human flight. The SRBs have the capacity to
carry the entire weight of the external fuel tank,
or ET, and orbiter, and to transmit the weight
load through their structure to the mobile
launcher platform, or MLP.

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The SRBs provide

71.4 percent

of the thrust

required to lift the space shuttle off the launch
pad

and during first-stage ascent

to an altitude

of about 150,000 feet, or 28 miles.

At launch,

each booster has a sea level thrust of
approximately 3.3 million pounds and is
ignited after the ignition and verification of the
three space shuttle main engines, or SSMEs.

SRB apogee occurs at an altitude of about
230,000 feet, or 43 miles, 75 seconds after
separation from the main vehicle. At booster
separation, the space shuttle orbiter has reached
an altitude of 24 miles and is traveling at a
speed in excess of 3,000 miles per hour.

The primary elements of each booster are nose
cap, housing the pilot and drogue parachute;
frustum, housing the three main parachutes in
a cluster; forward skirt, housing the booster
flight avionics, altitude sensing, recovery
avionics, parachute cameras and range safety
destruct system; four motor segments,
containing the solid propellant; motor nozzle;
and aft skirt, housing the nozzle and thrust
vector control systems required for guidance.
Each SRB possesses

its own redundant

auxiliary power units and hydraulic pumps.

SRB impact occurs in the ocean approximately
140 miles downrange. SRB retrieval is
provided after each flight by specifically
designed and built ships. The frustums,

drogue and main parachutes are loaded onto
the ships along with the boosters and towed
back to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, where
they are disassembled and refurbished for
reuse. Before retirement, each booster can be
used as many as 20 times.

Each booster is just over

149 feet long and

12.17 feet in diameter. Both boosters have a
combined weight of 1,303,314 pounds at lift-off.

They are

attached to the ET at the SRB aft attach

ring by an upper and lower attach strut and a
diagonal attach strut. The forward end of each
SRB is affixed to the ET by one attach bolt and
ET ball fitting on the forward skirt. While
positioned on the launch pad, the space shuttle
is attached to the MLP by four bolts and
explosive nuts equally spaced around each SRB.
After ignition of the solid rocket motors, the
nuts are severed by small explosives that allow
the space shuttle vehicle to perform lift off.

United Space Alliance (USA)

USA, at Kennedy facilities, is responsible for all
SRB operations except the motor and nozzle
portions. In conjunction with maintaining
sole responsibility for manufacturing and
processing of the non-motor hardware and
vehicle integration, USA provides the service
of retrieval, post flight inspection and

analysis, disassembly and refurbishment of the
hardware. USA also exclusively retains
comprehensive responsibility for the orbiter.

The

reusable solid rocket motor segments are

shipped from ATK Launch Systems in Utah to
Kennedy, where they are mated by USA
personnel to the other structural components –
the forward assembly, aft skirt, frustum and
nose cap – in the Vehicle Assembly Building.
Work involves the complete disassembly and
refurbishment of the major SRB structures – the
aft skirts, frustums, forward skirts and all
ancillary hardware – required to complete an
SRB stack and mate to the ET.  Work then
proceeds to ET/SRB mate, mate with the orbiter
and finally, space shuttle close out operations.
After hardware restoration concerning flight
configuration is complete, automated checkout
and hot fire are performed early in hardware
flow to ensure that the refurbished components
satisfy all flight performance requirements.

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ATK Launch Systems (ATK)

ATK Launch Systems of Brigham City, Utah,
manufactures space shuttle reusable solid
rocket motors, or RSRMs, at their Utah facility.
Each RSRM – just over 126 feet long and 12 feet
in diameter – consists of four rocket motor
segments and an aft exit cone assembly is.
From ignition to end of burn, each RSRM
generates an average thrust of 2.6 million
pounds and burns for approximately

123 seconds. Of the motor’s total weight of
1.25 million pounds, propellant accounts for
1.1 million pounds. The four motor segments
are matched by loading each from the same
batches of propellant ingredients to minimize
any thrust imbalance. The segmented casing
design assures maximum flexibility in
fabrication and ease of transportation and
handling. Each segment is shipped to KSC on a
heavy-duty rail car with a specialty built cover.

SRB Hardware Design Summary

Hold-Down Posts

Each SRB has four hold-down posts that fit into
corresponding support posts on the MLP.

Hold-down bolts secure the SRB and MLP posts
together. Each bolt has a nut at each end, but
the top nut is frangible, or breakable. The top
nut contains two NASA Standard detonators,
or NSDs, that, when ignited at solid rocket
motor ignition command, split the upper nut in
half.

Splitting the upper nuts allow the hold-down
bolts to be released and travel downward
because of NSD gas pressure, gravity and the
release of tension in the bolt, which is
pretensioned before launch. The bolt is
stopped by the stud deceleration stand which
contains sand to absorb the shock of the bolt

dropping down several feet. The SRB bolt is
28 inches long, 3.5 inches in diameter and
weighs approximately 90 pounds. The
frangible nut is captured in a blast container on
the aft skirt specifically designed to absorb the
impact and prevent pieces of the nut from
liberating and becoming debris that could
damage the space shuttle.

Integrated Electronic Assembly (IEA)

The aft IEA, mounted in the ET/SRB attach ring,
provides the electrical interface between the
SRB systems and the obiter. The aft IEA
receives data, commands, and electrical power
from the orbiter and distributes these inputs
throughout each SRB. Components located in
the forward assemblies of each SRB are
powered by the aft IEA through the forward
IEA, except for those utilizing the recovery and
range safety batteries located in the forward
assemblies. The forward IEA communicates
with and receives power from the orbiter
through the aft IEA, but has no direct electrical
connection to the orbiter.

Electrical Power Distribution

Electrical power distribution in each SRB
consists of orbiter-supplied main dc bus power
to each SRB via SRB buses A, B and C. Orbiter
main dc buses A, B and C supply main dc bus
power to corresponding SRB buses A, B and C.
In addition, orbiter main dc, bus C supplies
backup power to SRB buses A and B, and
orbiter bus B supplies backup power to SRB
bus C.  This electrical power distribution
arrangement allows all SRB buses to remain
powered in the event one orbiter main bus fails.

The nominal dc voltage is 28 V dc, with an
upper limit of 32 V dc and a lower limit of
24 V dc.

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Hydraulic Power Units (HPUs)

There are two self-contained, independent
HPUs  on  each  SRB.    Each  HPU  consists  of  an
auxiliary power unit, or APU; Fuel Supply
Module, or FSM; hydraulic pump; hydraulic
reservoir; and hydraulic fluid manifold
assembly. The APUs are fueled by hydrazine
and generate mechanical shaft power to a
hydraulic pump that produces hydraulic
pressure for the SRB hydraulic system. The
APU controller electronics are located in the
SRB aft integrated electronic assemblies on the
aft ET attach rings. The two separate HPUs
and two hydraulic systems are located inside
the aft skirt of each SRB between the SRB
nozzle and skirt. The HPU components are
mounted on the aft skirt between the rock and
tilt actuators. The two systems operate from
T minus 28 seconds until SRB separation from
the orbiter and ET.  The two independent
hydraulic systems are connected to the rock
and tilt servoactuators.

The HPUs and their fuel systems are isolated
from each other. Each fuel supply module, or
tank, contains 22 pounds of hydrazine. The
fuel tank is pressurized with gaseous nitrogen
at 400 psi to provide the force to expel via
positive expulsion the fuel from the tank to the
fuel distribution line. A positive fuel supply to
the APU throughout its operation is
maintained.

The fuel isolation valve is opened at APU
startup to allow fuel to flow to the APU fuel
pump and control valves and then to the gas
generator. The gas generator’s catalytic action
decomposes the fuel and creates a hot gas. It
feeds the hot gas exhaust product to the APU
two-stage gas turbine. Fuel flows primarily
through the startup bypass line until the APU
speed is such that the fuel pump outlet pressure

is greater than the bypass line’s, at which point
all the fuel is supplied to the fuel pump.

The APU turbine assembly provides
mechanical power to the APU gearbox, which
drives the APU fuel pump, hydraulic pump
and lube oil pump. The APU lube oil pump
lubricates the gearbox. The turbine exhaust of
each APU flows over the exterior of the gas
generator, cooling it and directing it overboard
through an exhaust duct.

When the APU speed reaches 100 percent, the
APU primary control valve closes and the
APU speed is controlled by the APU controller
electronics. If the primary control valve logic
fails to the open state, the secondary control
valve assumes control of the APU at

112 percent speed. Each HPU on an SRB is
connected to both servoactuators. One HPU
serves as the primary hydraulic source for the
servoactuator and the other HPU serves as the
secondary hydraulics for the servoactuator.

Each servoactuator has a switching valve that
allows the secondary hydraulics to power the
actuator if the primary hydraulic pressure
drops below 2,050 psi. A switch contact on the
switching valve will close when the valve is in
the secondary position. When the valve is
closed, a signal is sent to the APU controller
that inhibits the 100 percent APU speed control
logic and enables the 112 percent APU speed
control logic. The 100 percent APU speed
enables one APU/HPU to supply sufficient
operating hydraulic pressure to both
servoactuators of that SRB.

The APU 100 percent speed corresponds to
72,000 rpm, 110 percent to 79,200 rpm and
112 percent to 80,640 rpm.

The hydraulic pump speed is 3,600 rpm and
supplies hydraulic pressure of 3,050, plus or

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minus 50 psi. A high-pressure relief valve
provides overpressure protection to the
hydraulic system and relieves at 3,750 psi.

The APUs/HPUs and hydraulic systems are
reusable for 20 missions.

Thrust Vector Control (TVC)

Each SRB has two hydraulic gimbal
servoactuators: one for rock and one for tilt.
The servoactuators provide the force and
control to gimbal the nozzle for TVC. The
all-axis gimbaling capability is 8 degrees. Each
nozzle has a carbon cloth liner that erodes
and chars during firing. The nozzle is a
convergent-divergent, movable design in which
an aft pivot-point flexible bearing is the

gimbal mechanism.

The space shuttle ascent TVC portion of the
flight control system directs the thrust of the
three SSMEs and the two SRB nozzles to control
shuttle attitude and trajectory during liftoff and
ascent. Commands from the guidance system
are transmitted to the ascent TVC, or ATVC,
drivers, which transmit signals proportional to
the commands to each servoactuator of the
main engines and SRBs. Four independent
flight control system channels and four ATVC
channels control six main engine and four
SRB ATVC drivers, with each driver controlling
one hydraulic port on each main and SRB
servoactuator.

Each SRB servoactuator consists of four
independent, two-stage servovalves that
receive signals from the drivers. Each
servovalve controls one power spool in each
actuator, which positions an actuator ram and
the nozzle to control the direction of thrust.

The four servovalves in each actuator provide a
force-summed majority voting arrangement to

position the power spool. With four identical
commands to the four servovalves, the actuator
force-sum action prevents a single erroneous
command from affecting power ram motion. If
the erroneous command persists for more than
a predetermined time, differential pressure
sensing activates a selector valve to isolate and
remove the defective servovalve hydraulic
pressure. This permits the remaining channels
and servovalves to control the actuator ram
spool.

Failure monitors are provided for each channel
to indicate which channel has been bypassed.
An isolation valve on each channel provides the
capability of resetting a failed or bypassed
channel.

Each actuator ram is equipped with transducers
for position feedback to the thrust vector
control system. Within each servoactuator ram
is a splashdown load relief assembly to cushion
the nozzle at water splashdown and prevent
damage to the nozzle flexible bearing.

SRB Rate Gyro Assemblies (RGAs)

Each SRB contains two RGAs mounted in the
forward skirt watertight compartment. Each
RGA contains two orthogonally mounted
gyroscopes – pitch and yaw axes. In
conjunction with the orbiter roll rate gyros, they
provide angular rate information that describes
the inertial motion of the vehicle cluster to the
orbiter computers and the guidance, navigation
and control system during first stage ascent
to SRB separation. At SRB separation, all
guidance control data is handed off from the
SRB RGAs to the orbiter RGAs. The RGAs are
designed and qualified for 20 missions.

MAY 2010

SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA

Propellant

The propellant mixture in each SRB motor
consists of ammonium perchlorate, an oxidizer,
69.6 percent by weight; aluminum, a fuel,
16 percent by weight; iron oxide, a catalyst,
0.4 percent by weight; polymer, a binder that
holds the mixture together, 12.04 percent by
weight; and epoxy curing agent, 1.96 percent by
weight. The propellant is an 11-point

star-shaped perforation in the forward motor
segment and a double truncated cone
perforation in each of the aft segments and aft
closure. This configuration provides high
thrust at ignition and then reduces the thrust by
about one-third 50 seconds after liftoff to
prevent overstressing the vehicle during
maximum dynamic pressure.

SRB Ignition

SRB ignition can occur only when a manual
lock pin from each SRB safe and arm device has
been removed by the ground crew during
prelaunch activities. At T minus 5 minutes, the
SRB safe and arm device is rotated to the arm
position. The solid rocket motor ignition
commands are issued when the three SSMEs
are at or above 90 percent rated thrust; no
SSME fail and/or SRB ignition pyrotechnic
initiator controller, or PIC low voltage is
indicated; and there are no holds from the
launch processing system, or LPS.

The solid rocket motor ignition commands are
sent by the orbiter computers through the
master events controllers, or MECs, to the
NSDs installed in the safe and arm device in
each SRB. A pyrotechnic initiation controller,
or PIC, is a single-channel capacitor discharge
device that controls the firing of each
pyrotechnic device. Three signals must be
present simultaneously for the PIC to generate

the pyro firing output. These signals – arm, fire
1 and fire 2 – originate in the orbiter
general-purpose computers and are transmitted
to the MECs. The MECs reformat them to
28 V dc signals for the PICs. The arm signal
charges the PIC capacitor to 40 V dc, minimum
20 V dc.

The fire 2 commands cause the redundant
NSDs to fire through a thin barrier seal down a
flame tunnel. This ignites a pyro booster
charge, which is retained in the safe and arm
device behind a perforated plate. The booster
charge ignites the propellant in the igniter
initiator; and combustion products of this
propellant ignite the solid rocket motor igniter,
which fires down the length of the solid rocket
motor igniting the solid rocket motor
propellant.

The general purpose computer, or GPC, launch
sequence also controls certain critical main
propulsion system valves and monitors the
engine-ready indications from the SSMEs. The
main propulsion system, or MPS, start
commands are issued by the on-board
computers at T minus 6.6 seconds. There is a
staggered start – engine three, engine two,
engine one – within 0.25 of a second, and the
sequence monitors the thrust buildup of

each engine. All three SSMEs must reach the
required 90 percent thrust within three seconds;
otherwise, an orderly shutdown is commanded
and safing functions are initiated.

Normal thrust buildup to the required

90 percent thrust level will result in the SSMEs
being commanded to the liftoff position at
T minus 3 seconds as well as the fire 1
command being issued to arm the SRBs. At
T minus 3 seconds, the vehicle base bending
load modes are allowed to initialize.

SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA

MAY 2010

At T minus 0, the two SRBs are ignited by the
four orbiter on-board computers; commands
are sent to release the SRBs; the two T-0
umbilicals, one on each side of the spacecraft,
are retracted; the on-board master timing unit,
event timer and mission event timers are
started; the three SSMEs are at 100 percent; and
the ground launch sequence is terminated.

SRB Separation

The SRB/ET separation subsystem provides for
separation of the SRBs from the orbiter/ET
without damage to or recontact of the elements
– SRBs, orbiter/ET – during or after separation
for nominal modes. SRB separation is initiated
when the three solid rocket motor chamber
pressure transducers are processed in the
redundancy management middle value select
and the head end chamber pressure of both
SRBs is less than or equal to 50 psi. A backup
cue is the time elapsed from booster ignition.

The separation sequence is initiated,
commanding the thrust vector control actuators
to the null position and putting the main
propulsion system into a second-stage
configuration 0.8 second from sequence
initialization, which ensures the thrust of each
SRB is less than 100,000 pounds. Orbiter yaw
attitude is held for four seconds and SRB thrust
drops to less than 60,000 pounds. The SRBs
separate from the ET within 30 milliseconds of
the ordnance firing command.

The forward attachment point consists of a ball
on the SRB and socket on the ET, held together
by one bolt. The bolt contains one NSD
pressure cartridge at each end. The forward
attachment point also carries the range safety
system cross-strap wiring connecting each SRB
range safety system, or RSS, and the ET RSS
with each other.

The aft attachment points consist of three
separate struts: upper, diagonal, and lower.
Each strut contains one bolt with an NSD
pressure cartridge at each end. The upper strut
also carries the umbilical interface between its
SRB and the external tank and on to the orbiter.

Redesigned Booster Separation Motors (RBSM)

Eight Booster Separation Motors, or BSMs, are
located on each booster – four on the forward
section and four on the aft skirt. BSMs provide
the force required to push the SRBs away from
the orbiter/ET at separation. Each BSM weighs
approximately 165 pounds and is 31.1 inches
long and 12.8 inches in diameter. Once the
SRBs have completed their flight, the BSMs are
fired to jettison the SRBs away from the orbiter
and external tank, allowing the boosters to
parachute to Earth and be reused. The BSMs in
each cluster of four are ignited by firing
redundant NSD pressure cartridges into
redundant confined detonating fuse manifolds.
The separation commands issued from the
orbiter by the SRB separation sequence initiate
the redundant NSD pressure cartridge in each
bolt and ignite the BSMs to effect a clean
separation.

Redesigned BSMs flew for the first time in both
forward and aft locations on STS-125. As a
result of vendor viability and manifest support
issues, space shuttle BSMs are now being
manufactured by ATK. The igniter has been
redesigned and other changes include material
upgrades driven by obsolescence issues and
improvements to process and inspection
techniques.

SRB Cameras

Each SRB flies with a complement of four
cameras, three mounted for exterior views

MAY 2010

SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA

during launch, separation and descent; and one
mounted internal to the forward dome for main
parachute performance assessment during
descent.

The ET observation camera is mounted on the
SRB forward skirt and provides a wide-angle
view of the ET intertank area. The camera is
activated at lift off by a G-switch and records
for 350 seconds, after which the recorder is
switched to a similar camera in the forward
skirt dome to view the deployment and
performance of the main parachutes to splash
down. These cameras share a digital tape
recorder located within the data acquisition
system.

The ET ring camera is mounted on the ET
attach ring and provides a view up the stacked
vehicle on the orbiter underside and the bipod
strut attach point.

The forward skirt camera is mounted on the
external surface of the SRB forward skirt and
provides a view aft down the stacked vehicle of
the orbiter underside and the wing leading
edge reinforced carbon-carbon, or RCC, panels.

The ET attach ring camera and forward skirt
camera are activated by a global positioning
system command at approximately T minus
1 minute 56 seconds to begin recording at
approximately T minus 50 seconds. The camera
images are recorded through splash down.
These cameras each have a dedicated recorder
and are recorded in a digital format. The
cameras were designed, qualified, and
implemented by USA after Columbia to
provide enhanced imagery capabilities to
capture potential debris liberation beginning
with main engine start and continuing through
SRB separation.

The camera videos are available for engineering
review approximately 24 hours following the
arrival of the boosters at KSC.

Range Safety Systems (RSS)

The RSS consists of two antenna couplers;
command receivers/decoders; a dual
distributor; a safe and arm device with two
NSDs; two confined detonating fuse manifolds;
seven confined detonator fuse, or CDF
assemblies; and one linear-shaped charge.

The RSS provides for destruction of a rocket or
part of it with on-board explosives by remote
command if the rocket is out of control, to
limit danger to people on the ground from
crashing pieces, explosions, fire, and poisonous
substances.

The space shuttle has two RSSs, one in each
SRB. Both are capable of receiving two
command messages – arm and fire – which are
transmitted from the ground station. The RSS
is only used when the space shuttle violates a
launch trajectory red line.

The antenna couplers provide the proper
impedance for radio frequency and ground
support equipment commands. The command
receivers are tuned to RSS command
frequencies and provide the input signal to the
distributors when an RSS command is sent.
The command decoders use a code plug to
prevent any command signal other than the
proper command signal from getting into the
distributors. The distributors contain the logic
to supply valid destruct commands to the RSS
pyrotechnics.

The NSDs provide the spark to ignite the CDF
that in turn ignites the linear-shaped charge for
space shuttle destruction. The safe and arm
device provides mechanical isolation between

SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA

MAY 2010

the NSDs and the CDF before launch and
during the SRB separation sequence.

The first message, called arm, allows the
onboard logic to enable a destruct and
illuminates a light on the flight deck display
and control panel at the commander and pilot
station. The second message transmitted is the
fire command. The SRB distributors in the
SRBs are cross-strapped together. Thus, if one
SRB received an arm or destruct signal, the
signal would also be sent to the other SRB.

Electrical power from the RSS battery in each
SRB is routed to RSS system A. The recovery
battery in each SRB is used to power RSS
system B as well as the recovery system in the
SRB. The SRB RSS is powered down during the
separation sequence, and the SRB recovery
system is powered up.

Descent and Recovery

After separation and at specified altitudes, the
SRB forward avionics system initiates the
release of the nose cap, which houses a pilot
parachute and drogue parachute; and the
frustum, which houses the three main
parachutes. Jettison of the nose cap at

15,700 feet deploys a small pilot parachute and
begins to slow the SRB decent. At an altitude
of 15,200 feet the pilot parachute pulls the
drogue parachute from the frustum. The
drogue parachute fully inflates in stages, and at
5,500 feet pulls the frustum away from the SRB,
which initiates the deployment of the three
main parachutes. The parachutes also inflate in
stages and further slow the decent of the SRBs
to their final velocity at splashdown. The
parachutes slow each SRB from 368 mph at first
deployment to 52 mph at splashdown, allowing
for the recovery and reuse of the boosters.

Two 176-foot recovery ships, Freedom Star and
Liberty Star, are on station at the splashdown
zone to retrieve the frustums with drogue
parachutes attached, the main parachutes and
the SRBs. The SRB nose caps and solid rocket
motor nozzle extensions are not recovered. The
SRBs are dewatered using an enhanced diver
operating plug to facilitate tow back. These
plugs are inserted into the motor nozzle and
air is pumped into the booster, causing it to
lay flat in the water to allow it to be easily
towed. The boosters are then towed back to
the refurbishment facilities. Each booster is
removed from the water and components are
disassembled and washed with fresh and
deionized water to limit saltwater corrosion.
The motor segments, igniter and nozzle are
shipped back to ATK in Utah for
refurbishment. The nonmotor components and
structures are disassembled by USA and are
refurbished to like-new condition at both KSC
and equipment manufacturers across the
country.

SPACE SHUTTLE SUPER LIGHT WEIGHT
TANK (SLWT)

The super lightweight external tank (SLWT)
made its first shuttle flight June 2, 1998, on
mission STS-91. The SLWT is 7,500 pounds
lighter than the standard external tank. The
lighter weight tank allows the shuttle to deliver
International Space Station elements (such as
the service module) into the proper orbit.

The SLWT is the same size as the previous
design. But the liquid hydrogen tank and the
liquid oxygen tank are made of aluminum
lithium, a lighter, stronger material than the
metal alloy used for the shuttle’s current tank.
The tank’s structural design has also been

MAY 2010

SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA

improved, making it 30 percent stronger and
5 percent less dense.

The SLWT, like the standard tank, is
manufactured at NASA’s Michoud Assembly
Facility, near New

Orleans, by Lockheed

Martin.

The 154-foot-long external tank is the largest
single component of the space shuttle. It stands
taller than a 15-story building and has a
diameter of about 27 feet. The external tank
holds over 530,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen
and liquid oxygen in two separate tanks. The
hydrogen (fuel) and liquid oxygen (oxidizer)
are used as propellants for the shuttle’s three
main engines.

EXTERNAL TANK

The 154-foot-long external tank is the largest
single component of the space shuttle. It stands
taller than a 15-story building and has a
diameter of about 27 feet. The external tank
holds more than 530,000 gallons of liquid
hydrogen and liquid oxygen in two separate
tanks, the forward liquid oxygen tank and the
aft liquid hydrogen tank. An unpressurized
intertank unites the two propellant tanks.

Liquid hydrogen (fuel) and liquid oxygen
(oxidizer) are used as propellants for the
shuttle’s three main engines. The external tank
weighs 58,500 pounds empty and

1,668,500 pounds when filled with propellants.

The external tank is the “backbone” of the
shuttle during launch, providing structural
support for attachment with the solid rocket
boosters and orbiter. It is the only component
of the shuttle that is not reused. Approximately
8.5 minutes after reaching orbit, with its
propellant used, the tank is jettisoned and falls

in a preplanned trajectory. Most of the tank
disintegrates in the atmosphere, and the
remainder falls into the ocean.

The external tank is manufactured at NASA’s
Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans by
Lockheed Martin Space Systems.

Foam Facts

The external tank is covered with spray-on
foam insulation that insulates the tank before
and during launch. More than 90 percent of the
tank’s foam is applied using an automated
system, leaving less than 10 percent to be
applied manually.

There are two types of foam on the external
tank, known as the Thermal Protection System,
or TPS. One is low-density, closed-cell foam on
the tank acreage and is known as Spray-On-
Foam-Insulation, often referred to by its
acronym, SOFI. Most of the tank is covered by
either an automated or manually applied SOFI.
Most areas around protuberances, such as
brackets and structural elements, are applied by
pouring foam ingredients into part-specific
molds. The other is a denser composite
material made of silicone resins and cork and
called ablator. An ablator is a material that
dissipates  heat  by  eroding.    It  is  used  on  areas
of the external tank subjected to extreme heat,
such as the aft dome near the engine exhaust,
and remaining protuberances, such as the cable
trays.  These areas are exposed to extreme
aerodynamic heating.

Closed-cell foam used on the tank was
developed to keep the propellants that fuel the
shuttle’s three main engines at optimum
temperature. It keeps the shuttle’s liquid
hydrogen fuel at -423 degrees Fahrenheit

and the liquid oxygen tank at near

SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA

MAY 2010

-297 degrees Fahrenheit, even as the tank sits
under the hot Florida sun. At the same time,
the foam prevents a buildup of ice on the
outside of the tank.

The foam insulation must be durable enough to
endure a 180-day stay at the launch pad,
withstand temperatures up to 115 degrees
Fahrenheit, humidity as high as 100 percent,
and resist sand, salt, fog, rain, solar radiation
and even fungus. Then, during launch, the
foam must tolerate temperatures as high as
2,200 degrees Fahrenheit generated by
aerodynamic friction and radiant heating from
the 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit main engine
plumes. Finally, when the external tank begins
reentry into the Earth’s atmosphere about
30 minutes after launch, the foam maintains the
tank’s structural temperatures and allows it to
safely disintegrate over a remote ocean location.

Though the foam insulation on the majority of
the tank is only 1-inch thick, it adds

4,823 pounds to the tank’s weight. In the areas
of the tank subjected to the highest heating,
insulation is somewhat thicker, between 1.5 to
3 inches thick. Though the foam’s density
varies with the type, an average density is
about 2.4 pounds per cubic foot.

Application of the foam, whether automated by
computer or hand-sprayed, is designed to meet
NASA’s requirements for finish, thickness,
roughness, density, strength and adhesion. As
in most assembly production situations, the
foam is applied in specially designed,
environmentally controlled spray cells and
applied in several phases, often over a period of
several weeks. Before spraying, the foam’s raw
material and mechanical properties are tested
to ensure they meet NASA specifications.

Multiple visual inspections of all foam surfaces
are performed after the spraying is complete.

Most of the foam is applied at NASA’s
Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans
when the tank is manufactured, including most
of the “closeout” areas, or final areas applied.
These closeouts are done either by hand
pouring or manual spraying. Additional
closeouts are completed once the tank reaches
NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Fla.

The super lightweight external tank, or SLWT,
made its first shuttle flight in June 1998 on
mission STS-91. The SLWT is 7,500 pounds
lighter than previously flown tanks. The SLWT
is the same size as the previous design, but the
liquid hydrogen tank and the liquid oxygen
tank are made of aluminum lithium, a lighter,
stronger material than the metal alloy used
previously.

Beginning with the first Return to Flight
mission, STS-114 in June 2005, several
improvements were made to improve safety
and flight reliability.

Forward Bipod

The external tank’s forward shuttle attach
fitting, called the bipod, was redesigned to
eliminate the large insulating foam ramps as a
source of debris. Each external tank has two
bipod fittings that connect the tank to the
orbiter through the shuttle’s two forward
attachment struts. Four rod heaters were
placed below each forward bipod, replacing the
large insulated foam Protuberance Airload, or
PAL, ramps.

Liquid Hydrogen Tank & Liquid Oxygen

Intertank Flange Closeouts

The liquid hydrogen tank flange located at the
bottom of the intertank and the liquid oxygen
tank flange located at the top of the intertank
provide joining mechanisms with the intertank.

MAY 2010

SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA

After each of these three component tanks,
liquid oxygen, intertank and liquid hydrogen,
are joined mechanically, the flanges at both
ends are insulated with foam. An enhanced
closeout, or finishing, procedure was added to
improve foam application to the stringer, or
intertank ribbing, and to the upper and lower
area of both the liquid hydrogen and liquid
oxygen intertank flanges.

Liquid Oxygen Feedline Bellows

The liquid oxygen feedline bellows were
reshaped to include a “drip lip” that allows
condensate moisture to run off and prevent
freezing. A strip heater was added to the
forward bellow to further reduce the potential
of high density ice or frost formation. Joints on
the liquid oxygen feedline assembly allow the
feedline to move during installation and during
liquid hydrogen tank fill. Because it must flex,
it cannot be insulated with foam like the
remainder of the tank.

Other tank improvements include:

Liquid Oxygen & Liquid Hydrogen
Protuberance Airload (PAL) Ramps

External tank ET-119, which flew on the second
Return to Flight mission, STS-121, in July 2006,
was the first tank to fly without PAL ramps
along portions of the liquid oxygen and

liquid hydrogen tanks. These PAL ramps were
extensively studied and determined to not be
necessary for their original purpose, which was
to protect cable trays from aeroelastic instability
during ascent. Extensive tests were conducted
to verify the shuttle could fly safely without
these particular PAL ramps. Extensions were
added to the ice frost ramps for the pressline
and cable tray brackets, where these PAL ramps
were removed to make the geometry of the

ramps consistent with other locations on

the tank and thereby provide consistent
aerodynamic flow. Nine extensions were
added, six on the liquid hydrogen tank and
three on the liquid oxygen tank.

Engine Cutoff (ECO) Sensor Modification

Beginning with STS-122, ET-125, which
launched on Feb. 7, 2008, the ECO sensor
system feed-through connector on the liquid
hydrogen tank was modified by soldering the
connector’s pins and sockets to address false
readings in the system. All subsequent tanks
after ET-125 have the same modification.

Liquid Hydrogen Tank Ice Frost Ramps

ET-128, which flew on the STS-124 shuttle
mission, May 31, 2008, was the first tank to fly
with redesigned liquid hydrogen tank ice frost
ramps. Design changes were incorporated at
all 17 ice frost ramp locations on the liquid
hydrogen tank, stations 1151 through 2057, to
reduce foam loss. Although the redesigned
ramps appear identical to the previous design,
several changes were made. PDL* and NCFI
foam have been replaced with BX* manual
spray foam in the ramp’s base cutout to reduce
debonding and cracking; Pressline and cable
tray bracket feet corners have been rounded to
reduce stresses; shear pin holes have been
sealed to reduce leak paths; isolators were
primed to promote adhesion; isolator corners
were rounded to help reduce thermal
protection system foam stresses; BX manual
spray was applied in bracket pockets to reduce
geometric voids.

*BX is a type of foam used on the tank’s
“loseout,” or final finished areas; it is applied
manually or hand-sprayed. PDL is an acronym
for Product Development Laboratory, the first

MAY 2010

LAUNCH & LANDING

LAUNCH AND LANDING

LAUNCH

As with all previous space shuttle launches,
Atlantis has several options to abort its ascent if
needed after engine failures or other systems
problems. Shuttle launch abort philosophy is
intended to facilitate safe recovery of the flight
crew and intact recovery of the orbiter and its
payload.

Abort modes include:

ABORT-TO-ORBIT (ATO)

This mode is used if there is a partial loss of
main engine thrust late enough to permit
reaching a minimal 105 by 85 nautical mile orbit
with the orbital maneuvering system engines.
The engines boost the shuttle to a safe orbital
altitude when it is impossible to reach the
planned orbital altitude.

TRANSATLANTIC ABORT LANDING
(TAL)

The loss of one or more main engines midway
through powered flight would force a landing
at either Zaragoza, Spain; Moron, Spain; or
Istres, France. For launch to proceed, weather
conditions must be acceptable at one of these
TAL sites.

RETURN-TO-LAUNCH-SITE (RTLS)

If one or more engines shut down early and
there is not enough energy to reach Zaragoza,
the shuttle would pitch around toward
Kennedy until within gliding distance of the
Shuttle Landing Facility. For launch to
proceed, weather conditions must be forecast to
be acceptable for a possible RTLS landing at
KSC about 20 minutes after liftoff.

ABORT ONCE AROUND (AOA)

An AOA is selected if the vehicle cannot
achieve a viable orbit or will not have enough
propellant to perform a deorbit burn, but has
enough energy to circle the Earth once and land
about 90 minutes after liftoff.

LANDING

The primary landing site for Atlantis on
STS

‐

132 is the Kennedy Space Center’s Shuttle

Landing Facility. Alternate landing sites that
could be used if needed because of weather
conditions or systems failures are at Edwards
Air Force Base, Calif., and White Sands Space
Harbor, N.M.

MAY 2010

ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS

ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

2D-Nano Template

Two Dimensional Nano Template

3D-Space

Mental Representation of Spatial Cues during Spaceflight

A/G Alignment

Guides

A/L Airlock
AAA

Avionics Air Assembly

ABC

Audio Bus Controller

ABRS

Advanced Biological Research System

ACBM

Active Common Berthing Mechanism

ACDU

Airlock Control and Display Unit

ACO

Assembly Checkout Officer

ACS

Atmosphere Control and Supply

ACU

Arm Control Unit

ADS

Audio Distribution System

AE Approach

Ellipsoid

AEP

Airlock Electronics Package

AI Approach

Initiation

AIS

Automatic Identification System

AJIS

Alpha Joint Interface Structure

ALI Alice-Like

Insert

ALTEA-Shield

Anomalous Long Term Effects on Astronauts Central Nervous System-Shield

AM Atmosphere

Monitoring

AMOS

Air Force Maui Optical and Supercomputing Site

AOH

Assembly Operations Handbook

APAS

Androgynous Peripheral Attachment

APCU

Assembly Power Converter Unit

APE

Antenna Pointing Electronics

Audio Pointing Equipment

APFR

Articulating Portable Foot Restraint

APM

Antenna Pointing Mechanism

APS

Automated Payload Switch

APV

Automated Procedure Viewer

AR Atmosphere

Revitalization

ARCU American-to-Russian Converter Unit
ARS

Atmosphere Revitalization System

ASW Application

Software

ATA

Ammonia Tank Assembly

ATCS

Active Thermal Control System

ATU

Audio Terminal Unit

84 ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS

MAY

2010

BAC

Boom Attached Cables

BAD

Broadcast Ancillary Data

BC Bus

Controller

BCDU

Battery Charge/Discharge Unit

Berthing Mechanism Control and Display Unit

BEP

Berthing Mechanism Electronics Package

BGA

Beta Gimbal Assembly

BIC

Bus Interface Controller

BIT Built-In

Test

BLT

Boundary Layer Transition

BM Berthing

Mechanism

BOS

BIC Operations Software

BRIC

Biological Research in Canisters

BSS Basic

Software

BSTS

Basic Standard Support Software

C&C

Command and Control

C&DH

Command and Data Handling

C&T

Communication and Tracking

C&W

Caution and Warning

C/L Crew

Lock

C/O Checkout
CAM

Collision Avoidance Maneuver

CAPE

Canister for All Payload Ejections

CAPPS

Checkout, Assembly and Payload Process Services

CAS

Common Attach System

CB Control

Bus

CBCS

Centerline Berthing Camera System

CBM

Common Berthing Mechanism

CCA

Circuit Card Assembly

CCAA

Common Cabin Air Assembly

CCF

Capillary Chanel Flow

CCIS

Cardiovascular and Cerebrovacular on Return from Space Station

CCM

Cell Culture Module

CCP

Camera Control Panel

CCT

Communication Configuration Table

CCTV Closed-Circuit

Television

CDR

Space Shuttle Commander

CDRA

Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly

CETA

Crew Equipment Transfer Aid

Crew Equipment Translation Aid

CFE-2

Capillary Flow Experiment-2

MAY 2010

ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS

CHeCS

Crew Health Care System

CHX

Cabin Heat Exchanger

CISC

Complicated Instruction Set Computer

CLA

Camera Light Assembly

CLPA

Camera Light Pan Tilt Assembly

CLSM-2

Coarsening in Solid Liquid Mixtures

CMG

Control Moment Gyro

COTS

Commercial Off the Shelf

CPA

Control Panel Assembly

CPB

Camera Power Box

CQ Crew

Quarters

CR Change

Request

CRT Cathode-Ray

Tube

CSA

Canadian Space Agency

CSA-CP

Compound Specific Analyzer

CTC

Cargo Transport Container

CVB

Constrained Vapor Bubble

CVIU

Common Video Interface Unit

CVT

Current Value Table

CZ Communication

Zone

DB Data

Book

DC Docking

Compartment

DCB Double

Coldbag

DCSU

Direct Current Switching Unit

DDCU

DC-to-DC Converter Unit

DECLIC-HTI

DEvice for the Study of Critical Liquids and Crystalization-High

Temperature

Insert

DEM Demodulator
DFL Decommutation

Format

Load

DIU

Data Interface Unit

DMS

Data Management System

DMS-R

Data Management System-Russian

DOSIS-DOBIES

Dose Distribution Inside ISS – Dosimetry for Biological Experiments in Space

DPG

Differential Pressure Gauge

DPU

Baseband Data Processing Unit

DRTS

Japanese Data Relay Satellite

DSO

Detailed Supplementary Objective

DTO

Detailed Test Objective

DYF Display

Frame

86 ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS

MAY

2010

E/L Equipment

Lock

EATCS

External Active Thermal Control System

EBCS

External Berthing Camera System

ECC

Error Correction Code

ECLSS

Environmental Control and Life Support System

ECS

Environmental Control System

ECU

Electronic Control Unit

EDAS

Enhanced Data Acquisition System

EDSU

External Data Storage Unit

EDU EEU

Driver

Unit

EE End

Effector

EETCS

Early External Thermal Control System

EEU

Experiment Exchange Unit

EF Exposed

Facility

EFBM

Exposed Facility Berthing Mechanism

EFHX

Exposed Facility Heat Exchanger

EFU

Exposed Facility Unit

EGIL

Electrical, General Instrumentation, and Lighting

EIU

Ethernet Interface Unit

ELC

ExPRESS Logistics Carrier

ELM-ES

Japanese Experiment Logistics Module – Exposed Section

ELM-PS

Japanese Experiment Logistics Module – Pressurized Section

ELPS

Emergency Lighting Power Supply

EMGF Electric

Mechanical Grapple Fixture

EMI Electro-Magnetic

Imaging

EMU Extravehicular

Mobility

Unit

EOTP

Enhanced Orbital Replaceable Unit (ORU) Temporary Platform

EP Exposed

Pallet

EPO

Education Payload Operations

EPO-Robo

Education Payload Operations – Robotics

EPS

Electrical Power System

ES Exposed

Section

ESA

European Space Agency

ESC JEF

System

Controller

ESP-3

External Stowage Platform 3

ESW

Extended Support Software

ET External

Tank

ETCS

External Thermal Control System

ETI

Elapsed Time Indicator

ETRS

EVA Temporary Rail Stop

ETVCG External

Television Camera Group

EV Extravehicular

MAY 2010

ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS

EVA Extravehicular Activity
EXP-D Experiment-D
EXPRESS

EXpedite the PRocessing of Experiments to Space Station

EXT External

FA Fluid

Accumulator

FAS

Flight Application Software

FCT

Flight Control Team

FD Flight

Day

FDDI

Fiber Distributed Data Interface

FDIR

Fault Detection, Isolation, and Recovery

FDS

Fire Detection System

FE Flight

Engineer

FET-SW

Field Effect Transistor Switch

FGB

Functional Cargo Block

FOR

Frame of Reference

FPMU

Floating Potential Measurement Unit

FPP Fluid

Pump

Package

FR Flight

Rule

FRD

Flight Requirements Document

FRGF

Flight Releasable Grapple Fixture

FRM

Functional Redundancy Mode

FSE

Flight Support Equipment

FSEGF

Flight Support Equipment Grapple Fixture

FSW Flight

Software

GAS Get-Away

Special

GATOR

Grappling Adaptor to On-orbit Railing

GCA

Ground Control Assist

GLA

General Lighting Assemblies

General Luminaire Assembly

GLACIER

General Laboratory Active Cryogenic ISS Experiment Refrigerator

GLONASS

Global Navigational Satellite System

GNC

Guidance, Navigation, and Control

GPC

General Purpose Computer

GPS

Global Positioning System

GPSR

Global Positioning System Receiver

GUI

Graphical User Interface

H&S Health

and

Status

HCE

Heater Control Equipment

HCTL Heater

Controller

HEPA

High Efficiency Particulate Acquisition

88 ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS

MAY

2010

HPA

High Power Amplifier

HPGT

High Pressure Gas Tank

HPP

Hard Point Plates

HRDR

High Rate Data Recorder

HREL Hold/Release

Electronics

HRF

Human Research Facility

HRFM

High Rate Frame Multiplexer

HRM

Hold Release Mechanism

HRMS

High Rate Multiplexer and Switcher

HTV

H-II Transfer Vehicle

HTVCC

HTV Control Center

HTV Prox

HTV Proximity

HX Heat

Exchanger

I/F Interface
IAA Intravehicular

Antenna

Assembly

IAC

Internal Audio Controller

IBM

International Business Machines

ICB

Inner Capture Box

ICC

Integrated Cargo Carrier

ICC-VLD

Integrated Cargo Carrier – Vertical Lightweight Deployable

ICS

Interorbit Communication System

ICS-EF

Interorbit Communication System – Exposed Facility

IDRD

Increment Definition and Requirements Document

IEA

Integrated Equipment Assembly

IELK

Individual Equipment Liner Kit

IF Intermediate

Frequency

IFHX

Interface Heat Exchanger

IMCS

Integrated Mission Control System

IMCU

Image Compressor Unit

IMV Intermodule

Ventilation

INCO

Instrumentation and Communication Officer

IP Interface

Plate

International

Partner

IP-PCDU

ICS-PM Power Control and Distribution Unit

IP-PDB

Payload Power Distribution Box

IPV

Individual Pressure Vessel

ISP

International Standard Payload

ISPR

International Standard Payload Rack

ISS

International Space Station

ISSSH

International Space Station Systems Handbook

ITCS

Internal Thermal Control System

MAY 2010

ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS

ITS

Integrated Truss Segment

IVA Intravehicular

Activity

IVGEN

IntraVenous Fluid GENeration for Exploration Missions

IVSU

Internal Video Switch Unit

JAXA

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency

JCP

JEM Control Processor

JEF

JEM Exposed Facility

JEM

Japanese Experiment Module

JEM-EF

Japanese Experiment Module Exposed Facility

JEM-PM Japanese

Experiment

Module – Pressurized Module

JEMAL JEM

Airlock

JEMRMS

Japanese Experiment Module Remote Manipulator System

JEUS

Joint Expedited Undocking and Separation

JFCT

Japanese Flight Control Team

JLE

Japanese Experiment Logistics Module – Exposed Section

JLP

Japanese Experiment Logistics Module – Pressurized Section

JLP-EDU

JLP-EFU Driver Unit

JLP-EFU

JLP Exposed Facility Unit

JPM

Japanese Pressurized Module

JPM WS

JEM Pressurized Module Workstation

JSC

Johnson Space Center

JTVE

JEM Television Equipment

Kbps

Kilobit per second

KOS

Keep Out Sphere

LB Local

Bus

LCA

LAB Cradle Assembly

LCD

Liquid Crystal Display

LCS

Laser Camera System

LED

Light Emitting Diode

LEE

Latching End Effector

LEO Low

Earth

Orbit

LIDAR

Light Detection and Ranging

LMC Lightweight

Multipurpose Experiment Support Structure Carrier

LMM

Light Microscopy Module

LSW Light

Switch

LTA Launch-to-Activation
LTAB Launch-to-Activation

Box

LTL

Low Temperature Loop

90 ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS

MAY

2010

MA Main

Arm

MARES Muscle

Atrophy

Research and Exercise System

MAUI

Main Analysis of Upper-Atmospheric Injections

Mb Megabit
Mbps

Megabit per second

MBS

Mobile Base System

MBSU

Main Bus Switching Unit

MCA

Major Constituent Analyzer

MCC

Mission Control Center

MCC-H

Mission Control Center – Houston

MCC-M

Mission Control Center – Moscow

MCDS Multifunction

Cathode-Ray Tube Display System

MCS

Mission Control System

MDA

MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd.

MDM Multiplexer/Demultiplexer
MDP

Management Data Processor

MELFI

Minus Eighty-Degree Laboratory Freezer for ISS

MERLIN

Microgravity Experiment Research Locker Incubator II

MGB

Middle Grapple Box

Micro-2 Microbiology-2
Microbe-1

Microbial Dynamics in International Space Station

MIP

Mission Integration Plan

MISSE

Materials International Space Station Experiment

MKAM

Minimum Keep Alive Monitor

MLE

Middeck Locker Equivalent

MLI Multi-layer

Insulation

MLM

Multipurpose Laboratory Module

MMOD Micrometeoroid/Orbital

Debris

MOD Modulator
MON Television

Monitor

MPC

Main Processing Controller

MPESS

Multi-Purpose Experiment Support Structure

MPEV

Manual Pressure Equalization Valve

MPL

Manipulator Retention Latch

MPLM Multi-Purpose

Logistics

Module

MPM Manipulator

Positioning

Mechanism

MPV

Manual Procedure Viewer

MRM-1 Mini-Research

Module-1

MSD

Mass Storage Device

MSFC

Marshall Space Flight Center

MSL-CETSOL

Material Science Laboratory – Columnar-to-Equiaxcol Transition in Solidification

MSP

Maintenance Switch Panel

MAY 2010

ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS

MSS

Mobile Servicing System

MT Mobile

Tracker

Mobile

Transporter

MTL

Moderate Temperature Loop

MUX Data

Multiplexer

Myco-2

Mycological Evaluation of Crew Exposure to Space Station Ambient Air-2

MyoLab Molecular

Mechanism

Micrograivty-Induced Skeletal Muscle Atrophy

n.mi. nautical

mile

NASA National

Aeronautics

and Space Administration

NCS

Node Control Software

NET

No Earlier Than

NeuroRad

Biological Effects of Space Radiation and Microgravity on Mammalian Cells

Ni-H2 Nickel

Hydrogen

NLP

National Lab Pathfinder

NLP-Cells-4

National Lab Pathfinder-Cells-4

NLP-Vaccine-9

National Lab Pathfinder-Vaccine-9

NLT

No Less Than

NPGS

Naval post Graduate School

NPRV

Negative Pressure Relief Valve

NSV Network

Service

NTA

Nitrogen Tank Assembly

NTSC National Television Standard Committee
NUTRITION

Nutritional Status Assessment

OBSS

Orbiter Boom Sensor System

OCA

Orbital Communications Adapter

OCAD

Operational Control Agreement Document

OCAS

Operator Commanded Automatic Sequence

ODF

Operations Data File

ODS

Orbiter Docking System

OI Orbiter

Interface

OIU

Orbiter Interface Unit

OMS

Orbital Maneuvering System

OODT

Onboard Operation Data Table

OPT

Operational Pressure Tranducers

ORCA

Oxygen Recharge Compressor Assembly

ORU

Orbital Replacement Unit

OS Operating

System

OSA

Orbiter-based Station Avionics

OSE

Orbital Support Equipment

92 ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS

MAY

2010

OTCM

ORU and Tool Changeout Mechanism

OTP

ORU and Tool Platform

P3R Plants,

Protocals,

Procedures and Requirements

P/L Payload
PACE

Preliminary Advanced Colloids Experiment

PADLES

Passive Dosimeter for Lifescience Experiment in Space

PAL

Planning and Authorization Letter

PAM

Payload Attach Mechanism

PAO

Public Affairs Office

PAS

Payload Adapter System

PBA

Portable Breathing Apparatus

PCA

Pressure Control Assembly

PCBM

Passive Common Berthing Mechanism

PCN

Page Change Notice

PCS

Portable Computer System

PCU

Plasma Contactor Unit

Power Control Unit

PDA

Payload Disconnect Assembly

PDB

Power Distribution Box

PDGF

Power and Data Grapple Fixture

PDH

Payload Data Handling unit

PDRS

Payload Deployment Retrieval System

PDU

Power Distribution Unit

PEC

Passive Experiment Container

PEHG

Payload Ethernet Hub Gateway

PEMS II

Percutaneous Electrical Muscle Stimulator

PFE

Portable Fire Extinguisher

PFRAM

Passive Flight Releasable Attachment Mechanism

PGSC

Payload General Support Computer

PIB

Power Interface Box

PIU

Payload Interface Unit

PLB Payload

Bay

PLBD

Payload Bay Door

PLC

Pressurized Logistics Carrier

PLT

Payload Laptop Terminal

Space Shuttle Pilot

PM Pressurized

Module

Pump

Module

PMA

Pressurized Mating Adapter

PMCU

Power Management Control Unit

PMU

Pressurized Mating Adapter

MAY 2010

ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS

POA

Payload ORU Accommodation

POR

Point of Resolution

PPRV

Positive Pressure Relief Valve

PRCS

Primary Reaction Control System

PREX Procedure

Executor

PRLA

Payload Retention Latch Assembly

PRO

Payload Rack Officer

PROX

Proximity Communications Center

psia

Pounds per Square Inch Absolute

PSP

Payload Signal Processor

PSRR

Pressurized Section Resupply Rack

PTCS

Passive Thermal Control System

PTR

Port Thermal Radiator

PTU Pan/Tilt

Unit

PVCU Photovoltaic

Controller

Unit

PVM Photovoltaic

Module

PVR Photovoltaic

Radiator

PVTCS

Photovoltaic Thermal Control System

PWP

Power Work Post

QD Quick

Disconnect

R&MA

Restraint and Mobility Aid

RACU

Russian-to-American Converter Unit

RAM

Read Access Memory

RAMBO

Ram Burn Observations

RBVM

Radiator Beam Valve Module

RCC

Range Control Center

RCT

Rack Configuration Table

Repository

National Aeronautics and Space Administration Biological Specimen Repository

RF Radio

Frequency

RGA

Rate Gyro Assemblies

RHC

Rotational Hand Controller

RIC

Rack Interface Controller

RIGEX

Rigidizable Inflatable Get-Away Special Experiment

RIP

Remote Interface Panel

RLF

Robotic Language File

RLT

Robotic Laptop Terminal

RMS

Remote Manipulator System

ROEU

Remotely Operated Electrical Umbilical

ROM

Read Only Memory

R-ORU

Robotics Compatible Orbital Replacement Unit

94 ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS

MAY

2010

ROS

Russian Orbital Segment

RPC

Remote Power Controller

RPCM

Remote Power Controller Module

RPDA

Remote Power Distribution Assembly

RPM

Roll Pitch Maneuver

RS Russian

Segment

RSP

Resupply Stowage Platform

Return Stowage Platform

RSR

Resupply Stowage Rack

RT Remote

Terminal

RTAS

Rocketdyne Truss Attachment System

RVFS

Rendezvous Flight Software

RWS Robotics

Workstation

SAFER

Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue

SAM

SFA Airlock Attachment Mechanism

SAPA

Small Adapter Plate Assembly

SARJ

Solar Alpha Rotary Joint

SASA

S-Band Antenna Sub-Assembly

SCU

Sync and Control Unit

SD Smoke

Detector

SDS

Sample Distribution System

SDTO

Station Development Test Objective

SEDA

Space Environment Data Acquisition equipment

SEDA-AP

Space Environment Data Acquisition equipment – Attached Payload

SEITE

Shuttle Exhaust Ion Turbulence Experiments

SELS

SpaceOps Electronic Library System

SEU

Single Event Upset

SFA

Small Fine Arm

SFAE SFA

Electronics

SGANT

Space to Ground Antenna

SGAnt

Space to Ground Antenna

SGTRC

Space-to-Ground Transmit Receive Control

SI Smoke

Indicator

SIMPLEX

Shuttle Ionospheric Modification with Pulsed Localized Exhaust Experiments

Sleep-Short

Sleep-Wake Actigraphy and Light Exposure During Spaceflight-Short

SLM

Structural Latch Mechanism

SLP-D

Spacelab Pallet – D

SLP-D1

Spacelab Pallet – Deployable

SLP-D2

Spacelab Pallet – D2

SLT

Station Laptop Terminal

System Laptop Terminal

MAY 2010

ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS

SM Service

Module

SMDP

Service Module Debris Panel

SOC

System Operation Control

SODF

Space Operations Data File

SODI-Colloid

Selectable Optical Diagnostics Instrument – Aggregation of Colloidal
Suspensions

SODI-DSC

Selectable Optical Diagnostics Instrument – Diffusion and Soret Coefficient

SPA

Small Payload Attachment

SpaceDRUMS

Space Dynamically Responding Ultrasonic Matrix System

SPB Survival

Power

Distribution Box

SPDA

Secondary Power Distribution Assembly

SPDM

Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator

SPEC Specialist
SRAM Static

RAM

SRB

Solid Rocket Booster

SRMS

Shuttle Remote Manipulator System

SSAS

Segment-to-Segment Attach System

SSC

Station Support Computer

SSCB

Space Station Control Board

SSE

Small Fine Arm Storage Equipment

SSIPC

Space Station Integration and Promotion Center

SSME

Space Shuttle Main Engine

SSOR Space-to-Space

Orbiter

Radio

SSP

Standard Switch Panel

SSPTS

Station-to-Shuttle Power Transfer System

SSRMS

Space Station Remote Manipulator System

STC

Small Fire Arm Transportation Container

STEM Science,

Technology,

Engineering and Mathematics

STL

Space Tissue Lost

STORRM

Sensor Test for Orion Relative Navigation Risk Mitigation

STR

Starboard Thermal Radiator

STS

Space Transfer System

STVC

SFA Television Camera

SVS

Space Vision System

SWAB

Surface, Water, and Air Biocharacterization

TA Thruster

Assist

TAC

TCS Assembly Controller

TAC-M

TCS Assembly Controller – M

TCA

Thermal Control System Assembly

TCB

Total Capture Box

TCCS

Trace Contaminant Control System

96 ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS

MAY

2010

TCCV

Temperature Control and Check Valve

TCS

Trajectory Control Sensor

Thermal Control System

TCV

Temperature Control Valve

TDK

Transportation Device Kit

TDRS

Tracking and Data Relay Satellite

THA

Tool Holder Assembly

THC

Temperature and Humidity Control

Translational Hand Controller

THCU

Temperature and Humidity Control Unit

TIU

Thermal Interface Unit

TKSC

Tsukuba Space Center (Japan)

TLM Telemetry
TMA

Russian vehicle designation

TMR

Triple Modular Redundancy

TPL

Transfer Priority List

TRRJ

Thermal Radiator Rotary Joint

TUS Trailing

Umbilical

System

TVC Television

Camera

UCCAS Unpressurized

Cargo

Carrier Attach System

UCM

Umbilical Connect Mechanism

UCM-E

UCM – Exposed Section Half

UCM-P

UCM – Payload Half

UHF Ultrahigh

Frequency

UIL

User Interface Language

ULC

Unpressurized Logistics Carrier

ULF Utilization

Logistics

Flight

UMA Umbilical

Mating

Adapter

UOP

Utility Outlet Panel

UPC Up

Converter

USA

United Space Alliance

US LAB

United States Laboratory

USOS

United States On-Orbit Segment

UTA

Utility Transfer Assembly

VAJ

Vacuum Access Jumper

VBSP

Video Baseband Signal Processor

VCAM

Vehicle Cabin Atmosphere Monitor

VCU

Video Control Unit

VDS

Video Distribution System

VLU

Video Light Unit

MAY 2010

ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS

V02maX

Evaluation of Maximal Oxygen Uptake and Submaximal Estimates of V02max

Before, During, and After Long Duration International Space Station Missions

VNS

Vision Navigation Sensor

VPU

Vegetable Production Unit

VRA

Vent Relief Assembly

VRCS

Vernier Reaction Control System

VRCV

Vent Relief Control Valve

VRIV

Vent Relief Isolation Valve

VSU

Video Switcher Unit

VSW Video

Switcher

WAICO

Waiving and Coiling

WCL

Water Cooling Loop

WETA

Wireless Video System External Transceiver Assembly

WIF Work

Interface

WORF

Window Observational Research Facility

WRM

Water Recovery and Management

WRS

Water Recovery System

WS Water

Separator

Work

Site

Work

Station

WVA Water

Vent

Assembly

Z1 Zenith

One

ZSR

Zero-g Stowage Rack

MAY 2010

MEDIA ASSISTANCE

NASA TELEVISION TRANSMISSION

NASA Television is carried on an MPEG

‐

digital signal accessed via satellite AMC

‐

6, at

72 degrees west longitude, transponder 17C,
4040 MHz, vertical polarization. For those in
Alaska or Hawaii, NASA Television will be
seen on AMC

‐

7, at 137 degrees west longitude,

transponder 18C, at 4060 MHz, horizontal
polarization. In both instances, a Digital Video
Broadcast, or DVB

‐

compliant Integrated

Receiver Decoder, or IRD, with modulation of
QPSK/DBV, data rate of 36.86 and FEC 3/4 will
be needed for reception. The NASA Television
schedule and links to streaming video are
available at:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

NASA TV’s digital conversion will require
members of the broadcast media to upgrade
with an “addressable” Integrated Receiver
De

‐

coder, or IRD, to participate in live news

events and interviews, media briefings and
receive NASA’s Video File news feeds on a
dedicated Media Services channel. NASA
mission coverage will air on a digital NASA
Public Services “Free to Air” channel, for which
only a basic IRD will be needed.

Television Schedule

A schedule of key in

‐

orbit events and media

briefings during the mission will be detailed in
a NASA TV schedule posted at the link above.
The schedule will be updated as necessary and
will also be available at:

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/

mission_schedule.html

Status Reports

Status reports on launch countdown and
mission progress, in

‐

orbit activities and landing

operations will be posted at:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

This site also contains information on the crew
and will be updated regularly with photos and
video clips throughout the flight.

More Internet Information

Information on the ISS is available at:

http://www.nasa.gov/station

Information on safety enhancements made
since the Columbia accident is available at:

http://www.nasa.gov/returntoflight/

system/index.html

Information on other current NASA activities is
available at:

http://www.nasa.gov

Resources for educators can be found at the
following address:

http://education.nasa.gov

MAY 2010

PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACTS

101

PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACTS

NASA HEADQUARTERS
WASHINGTON, DC

John Yembrick
International Partners & Shuttle,
Space Station Policy
202-358-1100

john.yembrick-1@nasa.gov

Michael Curie
Shuttle, Space Station Policy
202-358-1100

michael.curie@nasa.gov

Stephanie Schierholz
Shuttle, Space Station Policy
202-358-1100

stephanie.schierholz@nasa.gov

Joshua Buck
Shuttle, Space Station Policy
202-358-1100

jbuck@nasa.gov

Michael Braukus
Research in Space
202-358-1979

michael.j.braukus@nasa.gov

Ashley Edwards
Research in Space
202-358-1756

ashley.edwards-1@nasa.gov

JOHNSON SPACE CENTER
HOUSTON, TEXAS

James Hartsfield
News Chief
281-483-5111

james.a.hartsfield@nasa.gov

Kyle Herring
Public Affairs Specialist
Space Shuttle Program Office
281-483-5111

kyle.j.herring@nasa.gov

Rob Navias
Program and Mission Operations Lead
281-483-5111

rob.navias-1@nasa.gov

Kelly Humphries
Public Affairs Specialist
International Space Station and Mission
Operations Directorate
281-483-5111

kelly.o.humphries@nasa.gov

Nicole Cloutier-Lemasters
Public Affairs Specialist
Astronauts
281-483-5111

nicole.cloutier-1@nasa.gov

102

PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACTS

MAY 2010

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER
CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA

Allard Beutel
News Chief
321-867-2468

allard.beutel@nasa.gov

Candrea Thomas
Public Affairs Specialist
Space Shuttle
321-867-2468

candrea.k.thomas@nasa.gov

Tracy Young
Public Affairs Specialist
International Space Station
321-867-2468

tracy.g.young@nasa.gov

MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER
HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA

Dom Amatore
Public Affairs Manager
256-544-0034

dominic.a.amatore@nasa.gov

June Malone
News Chief/Media Manager
256-544-0034

june.e.malone@nasa.gov

Steve Roy
Public Affairs Specialist
Space Shuttle Propulsion
256-544-0034

steven.e.roy@nasa.gov

STENNIS SPACE CENTER
BAY ST. LOUIS, MISSISSIPPI

Rebecca Strecker
News Chief
228-688-3249

rebecca.a.strecker@nasa.gov

Paul Foerman
Public Affairs Officer
228-688-1880

paul.foerman-1@nasa.gov

AMES RESEARCH CENTER
MOFFETT FIELD, CALIFORNIA

Mike Mewhinney
News Chief
650-604-3937

michael.s.mewhinney@nasa.gov

Rachel Prucey
Public Affairs Officer
650-604-0643

Rachel.L.Prucey@nasa.gov

Ruth Marlaire
Public Affairs Officer
650-604-4709

ruth.marlaire@nasa.gov

Cathy Weselby
Public Affairs Officer
650-604-2791

cathy.weselby@nasa.gov

Karen Hanner
Public Affairs Officer
650-604-4034

karen.c.hanner@nasa.gov

MAY 2010

PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACTS

103

DRYDEN FLIGHT RESEARCH CENTER
EDWARDS, CALIFORNIA

Kevin Rohrer
Director, Public Affairs
661-276-3595

kevin.j.rohrer@nasa.gov

Alan Brown
News Chief
661-276-2665

alan.brown@nasa.gov

Leslie Williams
Public Affairs Specialist
661-276-3893

leslie.a.williams@nasa.gov

GLENN RESEARCH CENTER
CLEVELAND, OHIO

Lori Rachul
News Chief
216-433-8806

lori.j.rachul@nasa.gov

Sally Harrington
Public Affairs Specialist
216-433-2037

sally.v.harrington@nasa.gov

Katherine Martin
Public Affairs Specialist
216-433-2406

katherine.martin@nasa.gov

LANGLEY RESEARCH CENTER
HAMPTON, VIRGINIA

Marny Skora
Head, Office of Communications
757-864-6121

marny.skora@nasa.gov

Keith Henry
News Chief
757-864-6120

h.k.henry@nasa.gov

Kathy Barnstorff
Public Affairs Officer
757-864-9886

katherine.a.barnstorff@nasa.gov

Amy Johnson
Public Affairs Officer
757-864-7022

amy.johnson@nasa.gov

UNITED SPACE ALLIANCE

Jessica Pieczonka
Houston Operations
281-212-6252
832-205-0480

jessica.b.pieczonka@usa-spaceops.com

Tracy Yates
Florida Operations
321-861-3956
(c) 321-750-1739

tracy.e.yates@usa-spaceops.com

104

PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACTS

MAY 2010

BOEING

Edmund G. Memi
Manager, Communications
The Boeing Co.
Space Exploration Division
281-226-4029

edmund.g.memi@boeing.com

Adam Morgan
Boeing
International Space Station
281-226-4030

adam.k.morgan@boeing.com

JAPAN AEROSPACE EXPLORATION
AGENCY (JAXA)

Kumiko Sagara
JAXA Public Affairs Representative
Houston
281-792-7468

sagara.kumiko@jaxa.jp

JAXA Public Affairs Office
Tokyo, Japan
011-81-50-3362-4374

proffice@jaxa.jp

CANADIAN SPACE AGENCY (CSA)

Jean-Pierre Arseneault
Manager, Media Relations & Information
Services
Canadian Space Agency
514-824-0560 (cell)

jean-pierre.arseneault@asc-csa.gc.ca

Media Relations Office
Canadian Space Agency
450-926-4370

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