MARCH 2008 CONTENTS i

CONTENTS 

Section Page

STS-123 MISSION OVERVIEW................................................................................................ 1

TIMELINE OVERVIEW .............................................................................................................. 11

MISSION PROFILE................................................................................................................... 15

MISSION PRIORITIES............................................................................................................. 17

MISSION PERSONNEL ............................................................................................................. 19

STS-123 ENDEAVOUR CREW .................................................................................................. 21

PAYLOAD OVERVIEW .............................................................................................................. 31

KIBO OVERVIEW.................................................................................................................................. 31

KIBO MISSION CONTROL CENTER ....................................................................................................... 39

TSUKUBA SPACE CENTER.................................................................................................................... 43

SPACE STATION INTEGRATION AND PROMOTION CENTER .................................................................. 47

JAXA’S EXPERIMENTS DURING THE 1J/A STAGE .................................................................................. 47

JAXA AEROSPACE OPEN LAB PROGRAM............................................................................................... 4 8

DEXTRE: CANADIAN ROBOTICS FOR THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION ....................................... 50

RENDEZVOUS AND DOCKING .................................................................................................. 55

UNDOCKING, SEPARATION AND DEPARTURE ....................................................................................... 58

SPACEWALKS ......................................................................................................................... 59

EVA-1 .................................................................................................................................................. 61

EVA-2 .................................................................................................................................................. 62

EVA-3 .................................................................................................................................................. 63

EVA-4 .................................................................................................................................................. 64

EVA-5 .................................................................................................................................................. 65

EXPERIMENTS ......................................................................................................................... 67

DETAILED TEST OBJECTIVES ............................................................................................................... 67

SHORT-DURATION RESEARCH ............................................................................................................. 68
ii CONTENTS MARCH 2008

SPACE SHUTTLE CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT ..................................................................... 73

ENDEAVOUR’S UMBILICAL WELL DIGITAL CAMERA NOW HAS FLASH CAPABILITY .............................. 73

SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA .................................................................................................... 77

LAUNCH AND LANDING ........................................................................................................... 91

LAUNCH............................................................................................................................................... 91

ABORT-TO-ORBIT (ATO)...................................................................................................................... 91

TRANSATLANTIC ABORT LANDING (TAL) ............................................................................................. 9 1

RETURN-TO-LAUNCH-SITE (RTLS)....................................................................................................... 91

ABORT ONCE AROUND (AOA)............................................................................................................... 91

LANDING ............................................................................................................................................. 91

ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ......................................................................................... 93

MEDIA ASSISTANCE ............................................................................................................... 105

PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACTS .................................................................................................. 107
MARCH 2008 MISSION OVERVIEW 1

STS-123 MISSION OVERVIEW 

This graphic illustrates Endeavour docked to the International Space Station  

as the shuttle robotic arm grapples a component of the Kibo laboratory.

The first pressurized component of the

Japanese Kibo laboratory, a Canadian robotic

device called Dextre and five spacewalks are

major elements of STS‐123.  Endeavour’s 16‐day

flight is the longest shuttle mission to the

International Space Station (ISS).

The Kibo laboratory will eventually be berthed

to the left side of the stationʹs Harmony  

node.    The Japanese Experiment Logistics

Module‐Pressurized Section (ELM‐PS), the

smaller of two pressurized modules of Kibo,

will be attached temporarily to a docking port

on the space‐facing side of Harmony.

Kibo is the major Japanese contribution to the

station, and will increase its research capability

in a variety of disciplines.    The name, which

means “hope,” was chosen by the Japan

Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) in a

national contest.
2 MISSION OVERVIEW MARCH 2008

STS‐123 crew members are attired in training versions of their shuttle launch and entry suits.   

From the left are astronauts Rick Linnehan, Robert L. Behnken, both mission specialists;  

Gregory H. Johnson, pilot; Garrett Reisman, mission specialist; Dominic Gorie,  

commander; Mike Foreman and JAXA’s Takao Doi, both mission specialists.

Dextre, the Canadian device, will work with the

station’s robotic arm, Canadarm2.  Designed for

station maintenance and service, Dextre is

capable of sensing forces and movement of

objects it is manipulating.  It can automatically

compensate for those forces and movements to

ensure an object is moved smoothly.

Dextre is the final element of the Mobile

Servicing System, part of Canada’s contribution

to the station.    The name was chosen by

Canadian students in a national contest.  Dextre

had been called the Special Purpose Dexterous

Manipulator.

Once assembled, Dextre will look a little like a

human upper torso stick figure.    It will have

two arms, and be capable of performing

delicate tasks and using tools.  Its four cameras

will give crew members inside the station views

of its activities.    Dextre will be able to work

from the end of Canadarm2, or from the

orbiting laboratory’s mobile base system.

The STS‐123 mission, also called assembly flight

1J/A, includes representation of all five station

partner interests — the U.S., Japan, Canada,

Russia and the European Space Agency.
MARCH 2008 MISSION OVERVIEW 3

The flight includes five scheduled spacewalks.  

Three of them will include tasks devoted to

assembly of Dextre and installation of related

equipment.

Other spacewalk activities include work to

unberth Kibo’s ELM‐PS, installation of spare

parts and tools, installation of a materials

experiment, replacement of a circuit‐breaker

box and demonstration of a repair procedure

for tiles of the shuttle’s heat shield.  

Spacewalkers also will stow the Orbiter Boom

Sensor System (OBSS), the extension of the

shuttle’s robotic arm, onto the station’s main

truss during the fifth spacewalk.

The boom sensor system is being left on the

station because the size of the large Japanese

pressurized module to be launched on STS‐124

won’t allow it to be carried in Discovery’s cargo

bay.  The OBSS will be returned to Earth at the

end of that mission.

This graphic depicts the location of the STS‐123 payload hardware.
4 MISSION OVERVIEW MARCH 2008

Astronaut Dominic Gorie, STS‐123 commander, dons a training version of his shuttle launch and

entry suit in preparation for a post insertion/de‐orbit training session at Johnson Space Center (JSC).
MARCH 2008 MISSION OVERVIEW 5

Dominic Gorie (GOR‐ee), 50, a veteran of three

space flights and a retired Navy captain, will

command Endeavour.  The spacecraft’s pilot is

Gregory H. Johnson, 45, an Air Force colonel.  

STS‐123 mission specialists are Robert L.

Behnken (BANK‐en), 37, an Air Force major;

Navy Capt. Mike Foreman, 50; Japanese

astronaut Takao (tah‐cowe) Doi (DOY), 53;  

Rick Linnehan (LIN‐eh‐han), 50, a veteran of

three shuttle flights; and Garrett Reisman

(REES‐man), 39.

Astronauts Robert L. Behnken (left) and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s  

Takao Doi, both STS‐123 mission specialists, participate in a training session  

in the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility at the JSC.
6 MISSION OVERVIEW MARCH 2008

Reisman will remain aboard the station with

Commander Peggy Whitson and fellow Flight

Engineer Yuri Malenchenko (mal EN chen ko).  

He will replace Leopold Eyharts (ā‐arts), a

French Air Force general and European Space

Agency astronaut who will return to Earth on

Endeavour.    Eyharts was launched to the sta‐

tion aboard Atlantis on STS‐122.

The day after Endeavour’s launch from

Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Gorie,

Johnson and Doi will use the shuttle’s robotic

arm and its OBSS for the standard survey  

of Endeavour’s heat‐resistant reinforced

carbon‐carbon and heat shield tiles.    Behnken,

Linnehan and Reisman will check out the

spacesuits on Endeavour.

Flight day 3 is docking day.   Once Endeavour

reaches a point about 600 feet below the station,

Gorie will fly it in a back flip, so station crew

members can photograph its heat shield.    The

digital images will be sent to the ground for

analysis.    Gorie then will fly Endeavour to a

point ahead of the station and maneuver it to a

docking with Pressurized Mating Adapter

No. 2, at the forward end of the Harmony node.

This graphic depicts the rendezvous pitch maneuver while crew aboard the  

ISS photograph the orbiter for analysis by specialists on the ground.
MARCH 2008 MISSION OVERVIEW 7

Astronauts Gregory H. Johnson (background), STS‐123 pilot, and Garrett Reisman,  

Expedition 16 flight engineer, use the virtual reality lab at JSC to train for some  

of their duties aboard the space shuttle and space station.

Reisman will become a station crew member

with the exchange of his custom Soyuz seatliner

with that of Eyharts, who joins the shuttle crew

for his flight home.  Johnson and Behnken will

use the station’s Canadarm2 to remove the

pallet containing Dextre from the payload bay

and attach it to a fixture on the station’s main

truss.    A review of procedures for the first

spacewalk will wind up the Endeavour crew’s

working day.

Flight day 4 focuses on the first spacewalk, by

Linnehan and Reisman.  Foreman will serve as

intravehicular officer, while Behnken and

Eyharts will operate the station’s Canadarm2.  

Tasks include preparation for the ELM‐PS

installation and work on Dextre assembly.  Doi

and Gorie will subsequently install the ELM‐PS

on Harmony with the shuttle arm.

Flight day 5 includes outfitting of the ELM‐PS

vestibule, ELM‐PS entry by Doi and Linnehan,

transfer of equipment and supplies between

shuttle and station, and briefings on station

activities for the new station crew member

Reisman.    An hour‐long procedure review

looks ahead to the second spacewalk.
8 MISSION OVERVIEW MARCH 2008

Astronaut Rick Linnehan, STS‐123 mission specialist, participates in  

an Extravehicular Mobility Unit spacesuit fit check in the Space Station  

Airlock Test Article (SSATA) in the Crew Systems Laboratory.  Astronaut  

Robert L. Behnken, mission specialist, assists Linnehan.
MARCH 2008 MISSION OVERVIEW 9

The second spacewalk, with Linnehan and

Foreman, is scheduled for flight day 6.   It will

focus on Dextre and include installation of its

two arms.  Behnken will provide intravehicular

support while Johnson and Reisman operate

Canadarm2.

Flight day 7 is filled with a variety of activities,

including work with the new Japanese module

and transfer operations.    The standard

spacewalk procedures review, this one for the

third spacewalk, comes toward the end of the

crew day.

EVA‐3, by Linnehan and Behnken, will occur

on flight day 8, with Foreman providing

intravehicular support.    Johnson and Reisman

will run Canadarm2 to help the spacewalkers

stow replacement gear and install a materials

experiment and a Dextre platform for spare

parts.

Flight day 9 is highlighted by robotics

operations, with the station arm manipulating

Dextre.  The arm first will move Dextre from its

pallet to a power and data grapple fixture on

the U.S. laboratory Destiny.    The arm will

return the pallet to Endeavour’s payload bay

and then move Dextre again, this time to a

position where it will be protected during a tile

repair test on spacewalk four.

Flight day 10 includes some off‐duty time for

shuttle crew members and tool configuration

for spacewalk four, preparations for the tile

repair test, and the standard day‐before

spacewalk procedures review.

Attired in a training version of his shuttle launch and entry suit, astronaut Mike Foreman,  

STS‐123 mission specialist, takes a moment for a photo during a training session in the  

Space Vehicle Mockup Facility.
10 MISSION OVERVIEW MARCH 2008

On flight day 11, Behnken and Foreman are

scheduled to do EVA‐4, with intravehicular

support from Linnehan.  The spacewalk includes

the shuttle tile repair test and change out of an ISS

circuit breaker.

An OBSS survey of Endeavour’s wings and nose

cap by Gorie, Johnson and Doi is scheduled for

flight day 12.    Once again, spacewalk tools

configuration and the end‐of‐day procedures

review for the flight’s final spacewalk are also

planned.

During the fifth and final spacewalk on flight  

day 13, Behnken and Foreman will stow the OBSS

on the station’s main truss.    With Linnehan as

intravehicular officer, they’ll also release launch

locks on Harmony’s left and Earth‐facing

common berthing mechanisms and perform other

tasks including installation of Trundle Bearing

Assembly 5 in starboard Solar Alpha Rotary Joint

(SARJ) and more SARJ inspection work.

Much of flight day 14’s morning will be off‐duty

time for shuttle crew members.  Later they’ll also

hold the joint crew news conference, wrap up

equipment and logistics transfers between the

station and shuttle and check out rendezvous

tools.

Highlighting flight day 15 are crew farewells,

hatch closings, undocking, Endeavour’s

fly‐around of the station with pilot Johnson at the

controls, and departure.

Landing preparations, including checkout of the

flight control system and the reaction control

system, are the focus of flight day 16.    Crew

members will stow items in the cabin and hold a

deorbit briefing just before bedtime.

Deorbit preparations, and landing at the Kennedy

Space Center (KSC) on flight day 17 wind up

Endeavour’s lengthy and demanding STS‐123

mission to the ISS.

This image shows the pressurized Kibo Japanese Experiment Logistics  

Module that will be installed during the STS‐123 mission.
MARCH 2008 TIMELINE OVERVIEW 11

TIMELINE OVERVIEW 

Flight Day 1 

• Launch

• Payload Bay Door Opening

• Ku‐band Antenna Deployment

• Shuttle Robotic Arm Activation and

Checkout

• Umbilical Well and Handheld External

Tank Video and Stills Downlink

Flight Day 2 

• Endeavour Thermal Protection System

Survey with 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 ISS

• Rendezvous Pitch Maneuver Photography

by the Expedition 16 Crew

• Docking to Harmony/Pressurized Mating

Adapter‐2

• Hatch Opening and Welcoming

• Station‐to‐Shuttle Power Transfer System

(SSPTS) Activation

• Canadarm2 Grapple of Spacelab Pallet

containing the Dextre Special Purpose

Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM) and

transfer and mate to the Payload Orbital

Replacement Unit Attachment Device

(POA) on the Mobile Base System.

• Reisman and Eyharts exchange Soyuz

seatliners; Reisman joins Expedition 16,

Eyharts joins the STS‐123 crew

• Extravehicular Activity (EVA) 1 Procedure

Review

• EVA 1 Campout by Linnehan and Reisman

Flight Day 4 

• EVA 1 by Linnehan and Reisman Japanese

Experiment Logistics Module‐Pressurized

Section (ELM‐PS) unberth preparations,

Orbital Replacement Unit and Tool

Changeout Mechanism installation on each

of Dextre’s two arms

• JEM ELM‐PS Grapple, Unberth and

Installation on Zenith Port of Harmony

Flight Day 5 

• JEM ELM‐PS Ingress Preparations

• JEM ELM‐PS Ingress

• Canadarm2 Grapple of OBSS and Handoff

to Shuttle Robotic Arm

• EVA 2 Procedure Review

• EVA 2 Campout by Linnehan and Foreman
12 TIMELINE OVERVIEW MARCH 2008

Flight Day 6 

• EVA 2 by Linnehan and Foreman (Dextre

assembly)

• Dextre Joint and Brake Tests and

Diagnostics

• JEM ELM‐PS Outfitting

Flight Day 7 

• JEM ELM‐PS Racks and Systems Outfitting

• Dextre Arm and Brake Tests

• EVA 3 Procedure Review

• EVA 3 Campout by Linnehan and Behnken

Flight Day 8 

• EVA 3 by Linnehan and Behnken (Orbital

Replacement Unit stowage, MISSE‐6

lightweight adapter plate assembly

installation and transfer of MISSE‐6

experiments to Columbus and Dextre spare

part platform and tool handling assembly)

• Dextre End Effector Checkout and

Calibration

Flight Day 9 

• Crew Off Duty Periods

• Canadarm2 Grapple of Dextre and Transfer

to Power and Data Grapple Fixture on

Destiny Laboratory; Dextre’s L.C. Arms are

Stowed

• T‐RAD EVA Hardware Preparation

Flight Day 10 

• Crew Off Duty Periods

• EVA 4 Procedure Review

• EVA 4 Campout by Foreman and Behnken

Flight Day 11 

• EVA 4 by Foreman and Behnken (T‐RAD

DTO, Remote Power Control Module

replacement including temporary CMG‐2

shutdown and spinup)

• Retrieve the JEM TV Electronics Boom from

the ELM‐PS

Flight Day 12 

• OBSS Inspection of Endeavour’s Heat

Shield

• Mobile Transporter Move from Worksite 6

to Worksite 4

• EVA 5 Procedure Review

• EVA 5 Campout by Foreman and Behnken

Flight Day 13 

• EVA 5 by Foreman and Behnken (OBSS

stow on station truss, repair and

replacement of Destiny Laboratory

micrometeoroid debris shields, release of

launch locks on Harmony port and nadir

Common Berthing Mechanisms)

• Installation of Trundle Bearing Assembly 5

in starboard SARJ

• SARJ Inspection

Flight Day 14 

• Joint Crew News Conference

• Crew Off Duty Periods

• Rendezvous Tools Checkout

• Final Transfers
13 TIMELINE OVERVIEW MARCH 2008

Flight Day 15 

• Final Farewells and Hatch Closing

• Undocking

• Flyaround of the ISS

• Final Separation

Flight Day 16 

• Flight Control System Checkout

• Reaction Control System Hot‐Fire Test

• Cabin Stowage

• European Space Agency’s (ESA’s)

PAO Event

• Eyharts’ Recumbent Seat Set Up

• Crew Deorbit Briefing

• Ku‐Band Antenna Stowage

Flight Day 17 

• Deorbit Preparations

• Payload Bay Door Closing

• Deorbit Burn

• KSC Landing
14 TIMELINE OVERVIEW MARCH 2008

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MARCH 2008 MISSION PROFILE 15

MISSION PROFILE 

CREW 

Commander: Dominic Gorie

Pilot: Gregory H. Johnson

Mission Specialist 1: Robert L. Behnken

Mission Specialist 2: Mike Foreman

Mission Specialist 3: Takao Doi

Mission Specialist 4: Rick Linnehan

Mission Specialist 5: Garrett Reisman (Up)

Mission Specialist 5: Léopold Eyharts (Down)

LAUNCH 

Orbiter: Endeavour (OV‐105)

Launch Site: Kennedy Space Center

Launch Pad 39A

Launch Date: March 11, 2008

Launch Time: 2:28 a.m. EDT (Preferred

In‐Plane launch time for

3/11)

Launch Window: 5 Minutes

Altitude: 122 Nautical Miles

(140 Miles) Orbital

Insertion; 185 NM

(213 Miles) Rendezvous

Inclination: 51.6 Degrees

Duration: 15 Days 16 Hours

48 Minutes

VEHICLE DATA 

Shuttle Liftoff Weight: 4,521,086

pounds

Orbiter/Payload Liftoff Weight: 269,767

pounds

Orbiter/Payload Landing Weight: 207,582

pounds

Software Version: OI‐32

Space Shuttle Main Engines: 

SSME 1: 2047

SSME 2: 2044

SSME 3: 2054

External Tank: ET‐126

SRB Set: BI‐133

RSRM Set: 101

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: March 26, 2008

Landing Time: 8:35 p.m. EDT

Primary landing Site: Kennedy Space Center

Shuttle Landing Facility

PAYLOADS 

Kibo Logistics Module, Dextre Robotics System
16 MISSION PROFILE MARCH 2008

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MARCH 2008 MISSION PRIORITIES 17

MISSION PRIORITIES 

1. Dock Endeavour to Pressurized Mating

Adapter‐2 and do station safety briefings

for all crew members

2. Replace Expedition 16 Flight Engineer

Leopold Eyharts with Expedition 16/17

Flight Engineer Garrett Reisman and

transfer crew rotation cargo

3. Transfer remaining items on flight

ballasting plan

4. Install the ELM‐PS, the smaller of two

pressurized modules of Kibo, to a

temporary position on a docking port on the

space‐facing side of Harmony

5. Do critical ELM‐PS activation

6. Using the station’s Canadarm2, unberth the

SPDM, or Dextre, on its pallet and install it

in a temporary position on the station

7. Do Mobile Base System checkout to ensure

the MBS can provide heater power to

Dextre

8. Install umbilical for keep‐alive power and

stow OBSS on station

9. Transfer water from shuttle to space station

10. Transfer critical items

11. Transfer European plant experiment

(WAICO) samples from station to shuttle

incubator

12. Transfer two double‐cold bags with Human

Research Program (HRP) nutrition samples

and IMMUNO samples to shuttle mid‐deck

13. Assemble and deploy SPDM Dextre

14. Use Canadarm2 to berth SPDM Dextre

pallet

15. Transfer Canadarm2 yaw joint from

shuttle to station External Stowage

Platform‐2 (ESP‐2)

16. Transfer two direct current switching units

from shuttle to ESP‐2.
18 MISSION PRIORITIES MARCH 2008

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MARCH 2008 MISSION PERSONNEL 19

MISSION PERSONNEL 

KEY CONSOLE POSITIONS FOR STS-123 

Flt. Director CAPCOM PAO

Ascent Bryan Lunney Jim Dutton

Kevin Ford (Weather)

Kyle Herring

Orbit 1 (Lead) Mike Moses Terry Virts John Ira Petty

(Lead)

Orbit 2 Rick LaBrode Nick Patrick Kylie Clem

Planning Matt Abbott Alvin Drew Brandi Dean

Entry Richard Jones Jim Dutton

Kevin Ford (Weather)

Kyle Herring

Shuttle Team 4 Richard Jones/

Tony Ceccacci

N/A N/A

ISS Orbit 1 Kwatsi Alibaruho Zach Jones N/A

ISS Orbit 2 (Lead) Dana Weigel Steve Robinson N/A

ISS Orbit 3 Ginger Kerrick Mark Vande Hei N/A

Station Team 4 Heather Rarick   Bob Dempsey Ron Spencer

   

Int. Partner FD – Emily Nelson (interfaces with Canadian Space Agency and Japan Aerospace

Exploration Agency)

HQ PAO Representative at KSC for Launch – Michael Curie

JSC PAO Representative at KSC for Launch – Rob Lazaro

KSC Launch Commentator – George Diller

KSC Launch Director – Mike Leinbach

NASA Launch Test Director – Steve Payne
20 MISSION PERSONNEL MARCH 2008

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MARCH 2008 CREW 21

STS-123 ENDEAVOUR CREW 

The STS‐123 crew patch depicts the shuttle in

orbit with the crew names trailing behind.  

STS 123’s major additions to the International

Space Station:   the Kibo Japanese ELM‐PS and

the Canadian SPDM, known as Dextre, are both

illustrated.    The station is shown in the

configuration that the STS‐123 crew will

encounter upon arrival.
22 CREW MARCH 2008

These seven astronauts take a break from training to pose for the STS‐123 crew portrait.  From  

the right (front row) are astronauts Dominic Gorie, commander; and Gregory H. Johnson, pilot.  

From the left (back row) are astronauts Rick Linnehan, Robert L. Behnken, Garrett Reisman,  

Mike Foreman and JAXA’s Takao Doi, all mission specialists.  The crew members are  

wearing shuttle launch and entry suits that are used for training.

Short biographical sketches of the crew follow

with detailed background available at:

http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/
MARCH 2008 CREW 23

STS-123 CREW BIOGRAPHIES 

Dominic Gorie

Retired Navy Capt. Dominic Gorie will lead the

crew of STS‐123 on the 25th shuttle mission to

the International Space Station.  Gorie served as

the pilot of STS‐91 in 1998 and STS‐99 in 2000.  

He was the commander of STS‐108 in 2001.  

Making his fourth spaceflight, he has logged

more than 32 days in space.    He has overall

responsibility for the execution of the mission,

orbiter systems operations and flight

operations, including landing.    In addition,

Gorie will fly the shuttle in a procedure called

the rendezvous pitch maneuver while

Endeavour is 600 feet below the station to

enable the station crew to photograph the

shuttle’s heat shield.    He then will dock

Endeavour to the station.
24 CREW MARCH 2008

Gregory H. Johnson

Air Force Col. Gregory H. Johnson has more

than 4,000 flight hours in more than 40 different

aircraft.    He will make his first journey into

space as the pilot of Endeavour for the STS‐123

mission.    Selected by NASA in 1998, Johnson

has served as a technical assistant to the

director of flight crew operations.  He has also

worked in the Astronaut Office’s space shuttle,

safety and exploration branches.    He will be

responsible for orbiter systems operations,

shuttle and station robotic arm operations and

will help Gorie in the rendezvous and docking

with the station.    Johnson will undock

Endeavour from the station.
MARCH 2008 CREW 25

Robert L. Behnken

Air Force Maj. Robert L. Behnken will be

making his first spaceflight as mission

specialist 1 for STS‐123.  He holds a doctorate in

mechanical engineering and has logged more

than 1,000 hours in more than 25 different

aircraft.    Selected as an astronaut in 2000,

Behnken has worked in the Astronaut Office

shuttle operations branch, supporting launch

and landing activities at KSC.  During STS‐123

he is designated as EV2, or spacewalker 2, and

will conduct three spacewalks.    He also will

serve as an intravehicular coordinator and

operator of the station robotic arm for the other

spacewalks.
26 CREW MARCH 2008

Mike Foreman

Navy Capt. Mike Foreman will be making his

first spaceflight as mission specialist 2 for

STS‐123.  He has logged more than 5,000 hours

in more than 50 aircraft.    Selected as an

astronaut in 1998, Foreman has worked in the

Astronaut Office space station and space shuttle

branches.    Foreman will be on the flight deck

during launch and landing, serving as the flight

engineer to assist Gorie and Johnson.    He is

designated as EV3 and will conduct three

spacewalks.    He also will serve as an

intravehicular coordinator for the other two

spacewalks.
MARCH 2008 CREW 27

Takao Doi

JAXA astronaut Takao Doi will be making his

second trip into space as mission specialist 3 for

STS‐123.    Doi holds doctorates in both

aerospace engineering and astronomy.    He

logged more than 376 hours in space for STS‐87

in 1997.    He conducted two spacewalks,

including the manual capture of a Spartan

satellite.    Doi was selected as an astronaut in

1985 with the National Space Development

Agency (NASDA), currently known as JAXA.  

He reported to JSC in 1995.  During STS‐123 Doi

will lead the ingress and initial setup of the first

element of the Kibo Japanese Experiment

Laboratory, the ELM‐PS.
28 CREW MARCH 2008

Rick Linnehan

Astronaut Rick Linnehan, a doctor of veterinary

medicine, will be making his fourth spaceflight

as mission specialist 4 for the STS‐123 mission.  

Selected by NASA in 1992, he has logged more

than 43 days in space, including three

spacewalks to service the Hubble Space

Telescope on Servicing Mission 3B.    Linnehan

flew on STS‐78 in 1996, STS‐90 in 1998 and

STS‐109 in 2002.    Designated as EV1 for the

STS‐123 mission, he will oversee the planning

and choreography of all five spacewalks.    He

will conduct the first three and serve as an

intravehicular coordinator for the remaining

two.
MARCH 2008 CREW 29

Garrett Reisman

Astronaut Garrett Reisman will be making his

first spaceflight for STS‐123.    He holds a

doctorate in mechanical engineering.    Selected

by NASA in 1998, Reisman has worked in the

Astronaut Office robotics and advanced

vehicles branches.    He was part of the  

NEEMO V mission, living on the bottom of the

sea in the Aquarius habitat for two weeks.  He

is designated EV4 on STS‐123 and will conduct

one spacewalk.    He also will assist with

intravehicular duties during the other

spacewalks and operate the station robotic arm.  

He will serve as a flight engineer during

Expedition 16 and the transition to Expedition

17 aboard station.  He is scheduled to return on

shuttle mission STS‐124.
30 CREW MARCH 2008

Leopold Eyharts

Leopold Eyharts, a French astronaut from the

Center National d’Etudes Spatiales (CNES), will

return to Earth on STS‐123.  He was selected as

an astronaut by CNES in 1990 and by the

European Space Agency (ESA) in 1992.    His

first mission was to the Mir Space Station in

1998, where he supported the CNES scientific

space mission “Pégase.” He performed various

French experiments in the areas of medical

research, neuroscience, biology, fluid physics

and technology.    He logged 20 days, 18 hours

and 20 minutes in space.  In 1998, ESA assigned

Eyharts to train at NASA’s JSC.  He launched to

the space station on the STS‐122 mission in

February.    He was aboard station as a flight

engineer during Expedition 16 for the

commissioning of the European Columbus

laboratory.
PAYLOAD OVERVIEW 

MARCH 2008 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW 31

KIBO OVERVIEW 

Japan’s contribution to the 

International Space Station Program 

The first component of the Japanese experiment

module, Kibo, will fly to the International Space

Station (ISS) after 23 years of development

efforts by the Japan Aerospace Exploration

Agency‐ JAXA.  Japan’s role in the space station

program is to develop and contribute the

Japanese Experiment Module (JEM), logistics

vehicles, and the H‐II Transfer Vehicle (HTV),

using accumulated Japanese technologies.

Once in orbit, the Kibo facilities will be used to

perform collaborative experiments by all the

station partners.    In addition, JAXA plans

educational, cultural and commercial uses of

the Kibo facility which will provide

opportunities for expanded utilization of the

space environment.

Kibo’s contributions are not strictly limited to

space utilizations.  The actual development and

operation of Kibo has great significance in the

continued expansion of Japan’s accumulated

technologies.    Acquisition of advanced

technologies required to support human life in

space enhances both the level of Japan’s

scientific and technological skill, and

contributes to other worldwide space

development activities in the future

exploration.

This is an artist’s concept image of Kibo once fully assembled on the space station.
32 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW MARCH 2008

Graphic images of the Kibo Pressurized Module interior

Japanese Experiment Module “Kibo” 

Kibo (key‐boh) means “hope.” It is Japan’s first

human‐rated space facility.    Kibo will be the

largest experiment module on the space station,

accommodating 31 racks in its pressurized

section, including experiment, stowage, and

system racks.    Kibo is equipped with external

facilities that can accommodate 10 exposed

experiment payloads.

Kibo is a complex facility that enables several

kinds of specialized functions.    In total, Kibo

consists of:    Pressurized Module (PM) and

Exposed Facility (EF), a logistics module

attached to both the PM and EF and a Remote

Manipulator System – Japanese Experiment

Module Remote Manipulator System

(JEMRMS.)

To make maximum use of its limited space,

Kibo possesses every function required to

perform experiment activities in space:    the

pressurized and exposed sections, a scientific

airlock in the PM, and a remote manipulator

system that enables operation of exposed

experiments without the assistance of a

spacewalking crew.

Assembly of Kibo 

The Kibo elements will be delivered to the

space station by three space shuttle flights.  

STS‐123 will deliver the ELM‐PS, STS‐124 will

deliver the PM and JEMRMS, and STS‐127 will

deliver the EF and the Experiment Logistics

Module–Exposed Section (ELM‐ES).

For each of the three missions, a JAXA

astronaut will fly to the station to assist with

the assembly, activation, and checkout of the

Kibo component.    Astronaut Takao Doi is

assigned as a NASA mission specialist for the

STS‐123 mission, astronaut Akihiko Hoshide is

assigned as a mission specialist for the STS‐124

mission, and astronaut Koichi Wakata is

assigned as a space station flight engineer for

Expedition 18.
MARCH 2008 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW 33

Takao Doi 

JAXA astronaut 

Akihiko 

Hoshide

Koichi Wakata 

JAXA astronaut

Launch of ELM-PS 

Launch of PM and 

JEMRMS Launch of EF and ELMES 

STS-119 

(15A)

STS-127

(2J/A)
34 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW MARCH 2008

The First Component to Fly: 

Kibo’s ELM-PS 

Kibo’s ELM‐PS will be launched to the space

station aboard the space shuttle Endeavour on

the STS‐123/1J/A mission, which is the first of

the three Kibo‐related ISS assembly flights.  The

ELM‐PS is a Kibo storage facility that provides

stowage space for experiment payloads,

samples, and spare items.    The pressurized

interior of the ELM‐PS is maintained at one

atmosphere, thus providing a shirt‐sleeve

working environment.  The crew will be able to

freely move between the ELM‐PS and the main

experiment module, called the Pressurized

Module.  On the space station, Kibo is the only

experiment facility with its own dedicated

storage facility.

When the ELM‐PS is launched aboard the space

shuttle, it will be used as a logistics module for

transporting eight Kibo subsystems and

experiment racks to the space station.  Once the

ELM‐PS is on orbit, it will be used as a Kibo

stowage compartment.    Maintenance tools,

experiment samples, and other spare items will

all be stored inside the ELM‐PS.  The volume of

the ELM‐PS is less than that of the PM, and up

to eight racks can be housed in the ELM‐PS.

ELM‐PS structural location

ELM-PS Exposed Facility Unit Common 

Berthing 

Mechanism 

(CBM) 

CBM Hatch (for PM)

φ4.4m 

4.2m

ELM‐PS Structure
MARCH 2008 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW 35

ELM‐PS

ELM-PS Specifications 

Shape: Cylindrical 

Outer Diameter: 4.4 meters (14.4 feet) 

Inner Diameter: 4.2 meters (13.8 feet) 

Length: 4.2 meters (13.8 feet) 

Mass: 18,490 pounds

Number of Racks: 8 racks 

Power Required: 3 kW 120 V DC 

Environment 

*Temperature: 

*Humidity: 

18.3 to 29.4 degrees 

Celsius (65 to 86 

degrees Fahrenheit) 

25 to 70 % 

Design Life: More than 10 years

The ELM‐PS will be attached to the zenith port

on top of the Harmony Node 2 module on

STS‐123’s fourth flight day.    The ELM‐PS will

remain attached to the Harmony module until

the Kibo PM is delivered to the ISS on the

following space shuttle mission, STS‐124.    The

final location of the ELM‐PS will be on the top

port of the PM.

ELM-PS Launch Configuration 

The ELM‐PS will carry five Kibo subsystem

racks, two experiment racks, and one stowage

rack when transported to the space station on

the STS‐123 mission.  This includes some of the

Kibo subsystem racks, which must be installed

in the PM before activation after its launch on

the STS‐124 mission.

With the exception of the Inter Orbit

Communication System (ICS) –PM rack, the

subsystem racks shown below (marked in red

outline) are crucial to the activation of the PM.
36 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW MARCH 2008

The racks marked in blue outline house the

JAXA experiments.    In the SAIBO Rack,

cultivation of animal cells, plants, and other

microorganisms will be performed in both

microgravity and simulated gravity — 0.1 G to

2 G conditions.    In the RYUTAI Rack, fluid

physics phenomena, solution crystallization,

and protein crystallization experiments will be

monitored and analyzed.

Starboard

Forward 

Aft 

Electrical Power 

System 1 (EPS1) 

Rack

Pressurized Section 

Resupply Rack (PSRR) 

Experiment 

Rack 

(SAIBO)

Inter-Orbit Communication System 

(ICS-PM) Rack Data Management System 

1 (DMS1) Rack 

Experiment Rack (RYUTAI) 

JEM Remote 

Manipulator System 

(JEMRMS) Rack 

Work Station 

(WS) Rack

Air 

inlet 

Air 

inlet 

Air 

outlet

Air 

outlet

Light 

Port

Image above shows rack locations in the ELM‐PS as seen from the PM side.  Subsystem  

racks are marked in red outline, experiment racks in blue, and a stowage rack in green.
MARCH 2008 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW 37

Future Kibo Missions 

Pressurized Module and Japanese Experiment

Module Remote Manipulator System

(JEMRMS) to be launched on the STS‐124/1J

Mission

The Pressurized Module (PM) is 11.2 meters, or

36.7 feet in length, and 4.4 meters, or 14.4 feet in

diameter.  The pressurized interior of the PM is

maintained at one atmosphere to provide a

shirt‐sleeve working environment.    The ISS

crew will conduct unique microgravity

experiments within the PM laboratory.  The PM

will hold 23 racks, 10 of which are International

Standard Payload Racks designed for

experiment payloads.  The PM will be delivered

to the ISS aboard the space shuttle Discovery on

the STS‐124/1J mission.

Kibo’s robotic arm, or JEMRMS, serves as an

extension of the human hand and arm in

manipulating experiments on the EF.    The

JEMRMS is composed of the Main Arm and the

Small Fine Arm, which both have six

articulating joints.    The Main Arm is used for

exchanging EF payloads and for moving large

items.   The Small Fine Arm, which attaches to

the end of the Main Arm, is used for more

delicate tasks.    The crew will operate these

robotic arms from the JEMRMS Console located

in the PM.    The JEMRMS will be launched,

along with the PM, to the ISS aboard the space

shuttle Discovery on the STS‐124/1J mission.

Exposed Facility and Experiment Logistics

Module‐Exposed Section to be launched on

the STS 127/2J/A Mission

The EF provides a multipurpose platform

where ten science experiment and system

payloads can be deployed and operated in the

unpressurized environment of space.    The

experiment payloads attached to the EF will be

exchanged using the JEMRMS.  The EF will be

delivered to the ISS aboard the space shuttle

Endeavour on the STS‐127/2J/A mission.

The ELM‐ES is attached to the end of the EF

and provides a storage space for EF experiment

payloads and samples.  Up to three experiment

payloads can be stored on the ELM‐ES.    The

ELM‐ES will be launched, along with the EF

and ICS‐EF, to the ISS aboard the space shuttle

Endeavour on the STS‐127/2J/A mission.
38 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW MARCH 2008

Kibo will be capable of independent

communications with Tsukuba Space Center

(TKSC) once the ICS is installed in both the PM

and EF, and fully activated.    Through JAXA’s

Data Relay Test Satellite (DRTS), commands

and voice are uplinked from the ground to

Kibo, and experiment data, image data or voice

are downlinked from Kibo to the ground for

scientific payload operations.    The ICS‐EF has

an antenna and a pointing mechanism that will

be used to communicate with the DRTS.

The ICS‐EF will be launched, along with the EF

and ELM‐ES, to the ISS aboard the space shuttle

Endeavour on the STS‐127/2J/A mission, while

the Inter‐Orbit Communication System  ‐PM

Rack will be delivered to the ISS on

STS‐123/1J/A and installed in the PM during

STS‐124/1J.

ICS-PM Rack ICS-EF Subsystem (ICS-EF)
MARCH 2008 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW 39

KIBO MISSION CONTROL CENTER 

After the Kibo element components are fully

assembled and activated aboard the ISS,

full‐scale experiment operations will begin.

Kibo operations will be jointly monitored and

controlled from the Space Station Integration

and Promotion Center at Tsukuba, in Japan,

and the Mission Control Center at NASA’s JSC

in Houston, where the overall operations of the

space station are controlled.

JAXA Flight Control Team 

The JAXA Flight Control Team (JFCT) consists

of flight directors and more than 50 flight

controllers assigned to 10 technical disciplines

required to support Kibo flight operations.  The

flight director oversees and directs the team,

and the flight controllers possess specialized

expertise on all Kibo systems.    The team will

monitor and control Kibo around the clock in a

three‐shift per day schedule.

Once operational, the JFCT will monitor the

status of command uplinks, data downlinks,

system payloads and experiments aboard Kibo.  

The JFCT will have the capability to make

real‐time changes to operations, and can

communicate directly with the crew aboard

Kibo and the various international partner

mission control centers located around the

world.  The team will troubleshoot problems or

anomalies that may occur aboard the Kibo

during flight operations.

Kibo Mission Control Room
40 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW MARCH 2008

The JFCT organizes and conducts mission‐

specific training that accurately simulates actual

Kibo flight operations.  The team is responsible

for the preparation and evaluation of all plans

and procedures that will be performed by the

crew aboard Kibo, and by controllers on the

ground.    In addition, the JFCT regularly

conducts contingency training for all certified

flight controllers, and candidate flight

controllers.

The roles of the respective sections of JFCT are

as follows:

JAXA Flight Director 

JAXA Flight Director (J‐FLIGHT) is the leader

of the JFCT.    J‐FLIGHT will direct the overall

operation of Kibo, including operations

planning, system and experiment operations,

and other tasks performed by the crew aboard

Kibo.

The flight controllers assigned to each control

section must ensure that the J‐FLIGHT is given

the current status of every detail of Kibo

operations.

Mayumi Matsuura will serve as the lead

J‐FLIGHT for the STS‐123/1J/A mission, and

will direct the ELM‐PS related operations

during the 1J/A stage.

Lead J‐FLIGHT for STS‐123

Mayumi Matsuura

Control and Network Systems, Electrical 

Power, and ICS Communication officer 

Control and Network Systems, Electrical

Power, and ICS Communication officer

(CANSEI) is responsible for Kibo’s flight

control, network systems, electrical power and

ICS communications.  CANSEI will monitor the

control status of on‐board computers, network

systems, and electrical power systems through

data downlinked from Kibo on a real‐time

basis.

Fluid and Thermal officer 

Fluid and Thermal officer (FLAT) is responsible

for monitoring the status of the Environmental

Control and Life Support System and the

Thermal Control System which regulate the

heat generated by the equipment aboard Kibo.  

These systems will be monitored through

telemetry data downlinked from Kibo on a

real‐time basis.

Kibo Robotics officer 

Kibo Robotics officer (KIBOTT) is responsible

for the overall operation of Kibo’s robotic arms,

scientific airlock, and other associated

mechanisms.    During robotic arm and airlock

operations, KIBOTT will prepare and monitor

the related systems necessary for the flight crew

to perform the appropriate tasks aboard Kibo.

Operations Planner 

Operations Planner (J‐PLAN) is responsible for

planning the actual flight operations.    When

Kibo is in a flight operations status, J‐PLAN

will monitor the status and progress of Kibo

operations and, if necessary, will amend or

modify the operation plans as required.
MARCH 2008 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW 41

System Element Investigation and 

Integration officer 

System Element Investigation and Integration

officer (SENIN) is responsible for Kibo’s system

elements.  SENIN will monitor and ensure that

each Kibo system is running smoothly and will

integrate all systems information provided by

each flight control section.

Tsukuba Ground Controller 

Tsukuba Ground Controller (TSUKUBA GC) is

responsible for the overall operation and

maintenance of the ground support facilities

that are essential for Kibo flight operations.  

This includes the operations control systems

and the operations network systems.

JEM Communicator 

JEM Communicator (J‐COM) is responsible for

voice communications with the crew aboard

Kibo.    J‐COM will communicate all essential

information to the crew for operating Kibo

systems and experiments, and/or respond to

Kibo‐specific inquiries from the crew.    JAXA

Astronaut Naoko Yamazaki (who is also

assigned as the Crew Support Astronaut for

STS‐123 Mission Specialist Takao Doi) will

serve as a J‐COM officer during the STS‐123

mission.

JAXA astronaut Naoko Yamazaki will serve as a J‐COM officer during the STS‐123 mission.
42 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW MARCH 2008

Astronaut Related Intravehicle Activity 

and Equipment Support 

Astronaut Related Intravehicular Activity (IVA)

and Equipment Support (ARIES) is responsible

for Intra‐Vehicular Activity (IVA) operations

aboard Kibo.  ARIES will manage the tools and

other IVA‐related support equipment on Kibo.

JEM Payload officer 

JEM Payload Officer (JEM PAYLOADS) is

responsible for Kibo’s experiment payload

operations, and will coordinate payload

activities with the Primary Investigators of each

respective experiment.

JAXA Extravehicular Activity 

JAXA Extravehicular Activity (JAXA EVA) is

responsible for Kibo‐related EVA operations

and will provide technical support to the  

crew members who perform Kibo‐related

spacewalks.

Note: The JAXA EVA console will not be

located in the Space Station Operations

Facility at the Tsukuba Space Center.  

Instead, the JAXA EVA flight controllers

will be stationed at the NASA JSC.

JEM Engineering Team 

The JEM Engineering Team (JET) is responsible

for providing technical evaluation of real‐time

data and pre‐  and post‐flight analysis.    JET

consists of the JET lead and electrical

subsystem, fluid subsystem and IVA engineers

who are members of the JEM Development

Project Team.    JET engineers also work in the

NASA Mission Evaluation Room at NASA JSC

in order to perform joint troubleshooting and

anomaly resolution.

CANSEI FLAT 

Screen Screen Screen 

J-COM J-FLIGHT SENIN JEM 

PAYLOAD

TSUKUBA

GC 

KIBOTT ARIES J-PLAN 

JEM Mission Control Room
MARCH 2008 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW 43

TSUKUBA SPACE CENTER

Tsukuba Space Center (TKSC) is JAXA’s largest

space development and utilization research

complex.    As Japan’s primary site for human

spaceflight research and operations, TKSC

operates the following facilities in support of

the Kibo mission.

Space Station Test Building 

Comprehensive Kibo system tests were

conducted in this building.  The main purpose

of the tests was to verify function, physical

interface and performance of the entire Kibo

system including all the associated elements:  

PM, EF, ELM‐PS and ELM‐ES and JEM‐RMS.  

In addition, subsystems, payloads, and ground

support equipment were all tested in this

building.    Once Kibo operations begin aboard

the ISS, engineering support will be provided

from this building.

Space Experiment Laboratory 

The following activities are conducted in the

Space Experiment Laboratory (SEL) building:

• Development of technologies required for

space experiments

• Preparation of Kibo experiment programs

• Experiment data analysis and support
Astronaut Training Facility 

The following activities are conducted in the

Astronaut Training Facility (ATF) building:

• JAXA astronaut candidate training

• Astronaut training and health care

This building is a primary site for Japan’s space

medicine research.

44 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW MARCH 2008

Weightless Environment Test Building 

The Weightless Environment Test Building

(WET) facility provides a simulated weightless

environment, using water buoyancy, for

astronaut training.  Design verification tests on

various Kibo components, and development of

preliminary spacewalk procedures, were

conducted in this facility.
MARCH 2008 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW 45

Space Station Integration and Promotion Center 
46 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW MARCH 2008
MARCH 2008 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW 47

SPACE STATION INTEGRATION AND 

PROMOTION CENTER 

The Space Station Integration and Promotion

Center is responsible for controlling Kibo

operations.    At the center, operation of Kibo

systems and payloads are supervised and Kibo

operation plans are prepared in cooperation

with NASA’s Mission Control Center and

Payload Operation Integration Center.

The center is responsible for the following:

• Monitoring and controlling Kibo operating

systems

• Monitoring and controlling Japanese

experiments onboard Kibo

• Implementing operation plans

• Supporting launch preparation

The center consists of the following sections:

Mission Control Room 

The Mission Control Room (MCR) provides

real‐time Kibo support on a 24‐hour basis.  This

includes monitoring the health and status of

Kibo’s operating systems, payloads, sending

commands, and real‐time operational planning.

User Operations Area 

The User Operations Area (UOA) distributes

the status of Japanese experiments and

provides collected data to the respective users

that are responsible for the experiments and the

subsequent analysis.

Operations Planning Room 

The Operations Planning Room (OPR) is

responsible for the planning of on orbit and

ground operations based on the power

distribution, crew resources, and data

transmission capacity.    If the baseline plans

need to be changed, adjustments will be

conducted in tandem with the MCR, the User

Operations Area and NASA.

Operations Rehearsal Room 

The Operations Rehearsal Room (ORR)

provides training for flight controllers, and

conducts integrated rehearsals and joint

simulations with NASA.

Engineering Support Room 

The Engineering Support Room (ESR) provides

engineering support for Kibo operations.    In

this room, the JEM Engineering Team (JET)

monitors the data downlinked to the MCR from

Kibo, and provides engineering support as

required.

JAXA’S EXPERIMENTS DURING THE 

1J/A STAGE 

CELL WALL and RESIST WALL 

Supported by NASA and ESA, JAXA’s life

science experiment will be performed on board

the ISS during the 1J/A Stage.  The experiment

combines two research themes entitled CELL

WALL and RESIST WALL.

Seeds of thale cress, or “mouse‐ear cress” —

Arabidopsis thaliana — will be launched to the

ISS on the STS‐123 mission.    Using ESA’s

cultivation chamber, “European Modular

Cultivation System:    EMCS” located in the

Columbus module, half of the seeds will be

grown in a microgravity condition and the

other half will be grown in an artificial 1G

gravity condition.  The stems of the thale cress

will be collected into sample collection tubes
48 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW MARCH 2008

when the stems have grown to 10 cm in height,

approximately 43 days after initiation of

incubation, and then, will be returned to the

ground on the STS‐124 mission.

The goal of this research is to uncover the

molecular mechanism in plants that are

assumed to be regulated by earth’s

gravitational force, and/or verify the gravity

resistance mechanism, which is assumed to be

an essential response for plants to develop

against the force of gravity on earth.

  

Thale cress, a.k.a mouse‐”ear cress”

PCC and EC (Plant Cultivation Chamber  

and Experiment Container)

Sample collection tube

JAXA AEROSPACE OPEN LAB PROGRAM 

Development of clothing for astronauts 

aboard spacecraft 

JAXA has been conducting the Aerospace Open

Lab Program since June 2004.  This program is

one of JAXA’s space development support

measures, aiming for establishing a foundation

for easier access to the current or future space

development programs.    Currently, 25 joint

research projects are ongoing as part of the

program.

Development of clothing for astronauts aboard

spacecraft, known as “crew cabin clothing,” is

one of the research themes.  This research is run

by the “Near‐Future Space‐Living Unit” group

led by Prof. Yoshiko Taya of Japan Women’s

University.
MARCH 2008 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW 49

Shirt with short sleeves

The goal of this research group is to develop

crew cabin clothing that meets the safety

requirements for spaceflight, and that ensures

the following functions:

• Thermal comfort

• Cleanliness

• Mobility

• Beautiful clothing contour

• Lightweight and compact design

Clothing developed by this research group will

be launched aboard STS‐123.    During the

mission, JAXA astronaut Takao Doi will wear

the various clothing types developed by the

group to evaluate the comfort and functionality

of the clothing.

The group has developed clothing materials

with the following properties required for crew

cabin clothing:

• Heat insulation

• Water‐absorption

• Quick evaporation

• Antibacterial

• Odor elimination

• Antistatic

• Antifouling

• Soft and comfortable to skin

In addition to those properties, non‐sewing

technology has given the clothing softness and

wearable comfort.    Cutting technology has

improved the way the clothing fits and moves

as the crew works in space.

The group has also developed a hook & loop

fastener with fire retardant properties and

fabricated with soft touch materials.

Shorts
50 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW MARCH 2008

DEXTRE: CANADIAN ROBOTICS FOR 

THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION 

Dextre is the third and final component of the

Mobile Servicing System developed by Canada

for the ISS.    The two‐armed Special Purpose

Dexterous Manipulator, known as “Dextre,”

complements the mobile base and the robotic

arm Canadarm2 already installed and

operating on the station.  These make the MSS a

vital tool for external station maintenance.  

With advanced stabilization and handling

capabilities, Dextre can perform delicate

human‐scale tasks such as removing and

replacing small exterior components.  Operated

by crew members inside the station or by flight

controllers on the ground, it also is equipped

with lights, video equipment, a stowage

platform, and three robotic tools.

The Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator can perform delicate human‐ 

scale tasks such as removing and replacing small exterior components.
MARCH 2008 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW 51

The technology behind Dextre evolved from its

famous predecessor Canadarm2.  Dextre is the

world’s first on‐orbit servicing robot with an

operational mission, and it lays the foundation

for future satellite servicing and space

exploration capabilities.

What Dextre Can Do 

While one arm is used to anchor and stabilize

the system, the other can perform fine

manipulation tasks such as removing and

replacing station components, opening and

closing covers, and deploying or retracting

mechanisms.   Dextre can either be attached to

the end of Canadarm2 or ride independently on

the Mobile Base System.    To grab objects,

Dextre has special grippers with built‐in socket

wrench, camera, and lights.    The two pan/tilt

cameras below its rotating torso provide

operators with additional views of the work

area.

Currently, astronauts execute many tasks that

can only be performed during long, arduous,

and potentially dangerous spacewalks.  

Delivery of this element increases crew safety

and reduces the amount of time that astronauts

must spend outside the station for routine

maintenance.  They should therefore have more

time for scientific activities.

Some of the many tasks Dextre will perform

include:

• Installing and removing small payloads

such as batteries, power switching units,

and computers

• Providing power to payloads

• Manipulating, installing, and removing

scientific payloads

A typical task for Dextre would be to replace a

depleted battery (100 kg, 220 pounds) and

engage all the connectors.  This involves bolting

and unbolting, as well as millimetre‐level

positioning accuracy for aligning and inserting

the new battery.

Design Ingenuity and Remarkable 

Sensitivity 

This kind of task demands high precision and a

gentle touch.    To achieve this, Dextre has a

unique technology:    precise sensing of the

forces and torque in its grip with automatic

compensation to ensure the payload glides

smoothly into its mounting fixture.  Dextre can

pivot at the waist, and its shoulders support

two identical arms with seven offset joints that

allow for great freedom of movement.    The

waist joint allows the operator to change the

position of the tools, cameras, and temporary

stowage on the lower body with respect to the

arms on the upper body.  Dextre is designed to

move only one arm at a time for several

reasons:    to maintain stability, to harmonize

activities with Canadarm on the shuttle and

Canadarm2 on the station and to minimize the

possibility of self‐collision.

At the end of each arm is an orbital replacement

unit/tool changeout mechanism, or OTCM —

parallel jaws that hold a payload or tool with a

vice‐like grip.    Each OTCM has a retractable

motorized socket wrench to turn bolts and mate

or detach mechanisms, as well as a camera and

lights for close‐up viewing.    A retractable

umbilical connector can provide power, data,

and video connection feed‐through to payloads.

From a workstation aboard the station,

astronauts can operate all the Mobile Servicing

System components, namely Canadarm2, the

mobile base, and Dextre.    To prepare for
52 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW MARCH 2008

operating each component, astronauts and

cosmonauts undergo rigorous training at the

Canadian Space Agency’s Operations

Engineering Training Facility at the John H.

Chapman Space Centre in Longueuil, Quebec.

Canada’s Contribution to the 

International Space Station 

Renowned for its expertise in space robotics,

Canada’s contribution to the ISS ⎯ a unique

collaborative project with the United States,

Japan, Russia and several European nations ⎯

is the Mobile Servicing System.  Combining two

robotic elements and a mobile platform, they

are designed to work together or

independently.   The first element, Canadarm2,

whose technical name is the Space Station

Remote Manipulator System, was delivered

and installed by Canadian Space Agency

astronaut Chris Hadfield in 2001.    The mobile

base system was added to the station in 2002.  

Dextre launches aboard space shuttle

Endeavour on flight STS‐123.

This image illustrates Dextre working at the end of the station’s Canadarm2.
MARCH 2008 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW 53

Dextre can pivot at the waist and its shoulders support two identical arms  

with seven offset joints that allow for great freedom of movement.

Dextre Quick Facts 

SIZE AND MASS 

Height 3.67 meters (12 feet) 

Width (across 

shoulders

2.37 meters 

(7.7 feet) 

Arm Length (each): 3.35 meters (11 feet) 

Mass (approx.): 1,560 kilograms 

(3,440 pounds) 

PERFORMANCE 

Handling Capability: 600 kilograms 

(1,323 pounds) 

Positioning 

Accuracy 

(incremental):

2 millimeters 

(1/12 inch) 

Positioning 

Accuracy (relative 

to target): 

6 millimeters 

(1/4 inch) 

Force Accuracy 2.2 newtons 

(0.5 pound force) 

Average Operating 

Power 

1,400 watts 

For more information, visit:

http://www.space.gc.ca
54 PAYLOAD OVERVIEW MARCH 2008

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MARCH 2008 RENDEZVOUS & DOCKING 55

RENDEZVOUS AND DOCKING 

Backdropped by a blue and white Earth, space shuttle Endeavour approaches the International

Space Station during STS‐118 rendezvous and docking operations.  A Russian spacecraft,  

docked to the station, can be seen in the right foreground.

Rendezvous begins with a precisely timed

launch of the shuttle on the correct trajectory

for its chase of the International Space Station.  

A series of engine firings over the next  

two days will bring Endeavour to a point about

50,000 feet behind the station.

Once there, Endeavour 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.    Endeavour will

cover the final miles to the station during the

next orbit.

As Endeavour moves closer to the station, the

shuttle’s rendezvous radar system and

trajectory control sensor will give the crew

range and closing‐rate data.    Several small

correction burns will place Endeavour about

1,000 feet below the station.

Commander Dominic Gorie, with help from

Pilot Gregory H. Johnson and other crew

members, will manually fly the shuttle for the

remainder of the approach and docking.
56 RENDEZVOUS & DOCKING MARCH 2008

Gorie will stop Endeavour about 600 feet below

the station.  Once he determines there is proper

lighting, he will maneuver the shuttle through a

nine‐minute back flip called the Rendezvous

Pitch Maneuver.   That allows the station crew

to take as many as 300 digital pictures of the

shuttle’s heat shield.

Station crew members will use digital cameras

with 400 mm and 800 mm lenses to photograph

Endeavour’s upper and bottom surfaces

through windows of the Zvezda Service

Module.    The 400 mm lens provides up to

3 inch resolution and the 800 mm lens up to

1 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 tiles, the reinforced carbon‐

carbon of the nose and leading edges of the

wings, landing gear doors and the elevon cove.

The photos will be downlinked through the

station’s Ku‐band communications system for

analysis by systems engineers and mission

managers.

When Endeavour completes its back flip, it will

be back where it started, with its payload bay

facing the station.

This image illustrates space shuttle Endeavour docking with the International Space Station.
MARCH 2008 RENDEZVOUS & DOCKING 57

Gorie then will fly Endeavour 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 dock at the

Pressurized Mating Adaptor 2 at the forward

end of the Harmony module.

The shuttle crew members operate laptop

computers processing the navigational data, the

laser range systems and Endeavour’s docking

mechanism.

Using a video camera mounted in the center of

the Orbiter Docking System, Gorie will line up

the docking ports of the two spacecraft.    If

necessary, he will pause 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 Endeavour and the station

are moving at about 17,500 mph.  He will keep

the docking mechanisms aligned to a tolerance

of three inches.

When Endeavour makes contact with the

station, preliminary latches will automatically

attach 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.

Backdropped by Earth, the International Space Station is seen from space  

shuttle Atlantis as the two spacecraft begin separation and the  

STS‐122 mission nears its completion.
58 RENDEZVOUS & DOCKING MARCH 2008

UNDOCKING, SEPARATION AND 

DEPARTURE 

At undocking, hooks and latches will be

opened and springs will push Endeavour away

from the station.  The shuttle’s steering jets will

be shut off to avoid any inadvertent firings

during the initial separation.

Once Endeavour is about two feet from the

station and the docking devices are clear of one

another, Johnson will turn the steering jets on

and will manually fly Endeavour in a tight

corridor as the shuttle moves away from the

station.

Endeavour will move away about 450 feet.  

Then, if propellant and time permit, Johnson

will begin to fly the shuttle around the station

and its new laboratory.    Once Endeavour

completes 1.5 revolutions of the station,

Johnson will fire Endeavour’s jets to leave the

area.

This image depicts space shuttle Endeavour undocking  

from the station following the STS‐123 mission.
MARCH 2008 SPACEWALKS 59

SPACEWALKS 

Five spacewalks performed by four of STS‐123’s

astronauts will help install the Japanese

ELM‐PS and assemble Dextre, the SPDM.

Spacewalkers also will demonstrate a space

shuttle heat shield repair technique, using the

Tile Repair Ablator Dispenser (T‐RAD), similar

to a caulk gun.  Foreman and Behnken will use

the T‐RAD to mix a goo‐like substance known

as STA‐54 and extrude it into holes in several

demonstration tiles.    They will smooth the

material by tamping it with foam‐tipped tools.  

The repaired samples will be stowed in

Endeavour’s cargo bay for return to Earth,

where they will undergo extensive testing.

STS‐123’s spacewalks will occur on flight days

4, 6, 8, 11, and 13.

This image illustrates the station’s robotic arm grappling the Orbiter Boom Sensor System in

preparation for its temporary stowage on the station’s S1 truss.
60 SPACEWALKS MARCH 2008

Veteran Rick Linnehan is the mission’s lead

spacewalker.    He conducted three spacewalks

in March 2002 during STS‐109, the fourth

Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission.  

Linnehan will conduct the first three excursions

with three different first‐time spacewalkers —

Garrett Reisman, Mike Foreman and  

Robert L. Behnken.

Behnken and Foreman will perform the two

final spacewalks, including the heat shield

repair demonstration.

The spacewalkers will be identifiable by

various markings on their spacesuits.  Linnehan

will wear the suit bearing solid red stripes.  

Reisman will wear an all‐white spacesuit.  

Foreman’s suit will be distinguished by broken

horizontal red stripes, and Behnken’s suit will

be marked with a diagonal candy cane stripe.

Each spacewalk will start from the station’s

Quest airlock.    The astronauts will prepare by

using the campout prebreathe protocol,

spending the night before the spacewalk in the

airlock.    The prebreathe exercise purges

nitrogen from the astronauts’ systems to

prevent decompression sickness, also known as

“the bends.”

This image depicts the Kibo Japanese Experiment Module that will be installed  

on the International Space Station during the STS‐123 mission.
MARCH 2008 SPACEWALKS 61

Mission Specialists Rick Linnehan and Garrett Reisman will  

conduct the first of the mission’s five scheduled spacewalks.

During the campout, the spacewalking crew

members isolate themselves in the airlock.  The

airlock’s air pressure is lowered to 10.2 pounds

per square inch (psi) while the station is kept at

14.7 psi, or near sea‐level pressure.  When they

wake up, the astronauts don oxygen masks,

and the airlock’s pressure is raised to 14.7 psi

for an hour.    After breakfast, the pressure is

lowered back to 10.2 psi for an additional hour

as the astronauts don their spacesuits.    An

additional 30 minutes in the suits completes the

protocol.    The campout procedure enables

spacewalks to begin earlier in the crew’s day

than before the protocol was adopted.

EVA-1 

EV1: Linnehan

EV4:  Reisman

IV:  Foreman

Behnken and Eyharts will operate the station’s

robotic arm

Duration:  6.5 hours
62 SPACEWALKS MARCH 2008

EVA Operations:

• Prepare the ELM‐PS for unberthing from

payload bay. 

• Open the Centerline Berthing Camera

System on top of the Harmony module.  

The system provides live video to assist

with docking spacecraft and modules

together

• Remove Passive Common Berthing

Mechanism, the round flange which can

attach to another spacecraft or module.  

Disconnect the launch‐through‐

activation cables

• Install both the Orbital Replacement  

Unit (ORU) tool change out mechanisms on

Dextre.

EVA-2 

EV1:  Linnehan

EV3: Foreman

IV:  Behnken

Duration:  7 hours

EVA Operations:

Assemble Dextre, removing covers and

installing arm components.

Mission specialists Rick Linnehan and Mike Foreman  

will conduct the second spacewalk on flight day 6.
MARCH 2008 SPACEWALKS 63

EVA-3 

EV1:  Linnehan

EV2:  Behnken

IV:  Foreman

Duration:  6.5 hours

EVA Operations:

• Outfit Dextre

1. Install the ORU and tool platform/tool

holder assembly

2. Install the Camera Light Pan Tilt

Assembly (CLPA)

3. Remove the cover

• Prepare the Spacelab Logistics Pallet for

landing

• Move the MISSE 6 experiment to the

Columbus module

• Transfer a spare Canadarm2 yaw joint

• Transfer two spare Direct Current

Switching Units

Mission specialists Rick Linnehan and Robert Behnken will conduct  

the mission’s third spacewalk scheduled for flight day 8.
64 SPACEWALKS MARCH 2008

EVA-4 

EV2:  Behnken

EV3:  Foreman

IV:  Linnehan

Duration:  6.5 hours

EVA Operations:

• Replace a failed Remote Power Controller

Module on the station’s truss

• T‐RAD Detailed Test Objective (DTO) 848,

the heat shield repair demonstration

Mission specialists Robert Behnken and Mike Foreman will conduct  

the mission’s final two spacewalks on flight days 11 and 13.
MARCH 2008 SPACEWALKS 65

EVA-5 

EV2:  Behnken

EV3:  Foreman

IV:  Linnehan

Duration:  6.5 hours

EVA Operations:

• Transfer the OBSS to a temporary stowage

location on the S1 truss.

• Install ELM‐PS trunnion covers

• Reinstall Trundle Bearing Assembly No. 5

in the starboard SARJ

• Release launch locks on Harmony’s port

and nadir Common Berthing Mechanisms

• Remove additional covers from the

starboard SARJ and perform inspections,

capture digital photography and perform

debris collection
66 SPACEWALKS MARCH 2008

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MARCH 2008 EXPERIMENTS 67

EXPERIMENTS 

DETAILED TEST OBJECTIVES 

Detailed Test Objectives (DTOs) are aimed at

testing, evaluating or documenting space

shuttle systems or hardware, or proposed

improvements to the space shuttle or space

station hardware, systems and operations.

DTO 848 Tile Repair Ablator Dispenser 

The primary purpose of the detailed test

objective is to evaluate the Shuttle Tile

Ablator‐54 (STA‐54) material and a tile repair

ablator dispenser in a microgravity and

vacuum environment for their use as a space

shuttle thermal protection system repair

technique.

Spacewalkers Robert Behnken and Mike

Foreman on flight day 11 will set up for the test

on the outside of the Destiny lab.

The Tile Repair Ablator Dispenser (T‐RAD) is

similar to a caulk‐gun.  Both spacewalkers will

use the T‐RAD to mix and extrude the STA‐54

material into holes in several demonstration

tiles.  The spacewalkers will watch for swelling

of the material and work it in until it is smooth

by tamping the material with foam‐tipped

tools.

The repaired samples and tools will be stowed

in Endeavour’s cargo bay for return to Earth.  

The samples will undergo extensive testing on

the ground.

DTO 853 In-Flight Evaluation for Areas 

of CO2 Concentration 

The purpose of the DTO is to evaluate carbon

dioxide (CO2) levels at specific times during the

mission and in shuttle areas that have the

potential to contain elevated levels.  The DTO is

being carried out over four missions:  STS‐118,

STS‐120, STS‐122 and STS‐123.    During the

missions, the data will be collected over a

period of five days, during similar time periods

and in similar locations.

The CO2 levels will be recorded using the

Carbon Dioxide Monitor (CDM) – a portable

handheld device designed to monitor and

quantify CO2 concentrations.

The test was prompted by the STS‐121 and

STS‐115 mission crews who reported

experiencing stuffiness and headaches while

sleeping in the middeck area.    The symptoms

are believed to most likely result from exposure

to high levels of CO2.

For the reported times during STS‐121 and

STS‐115, the CO2 levels within the crew

module, as indicated by the vehicle

instrumentation, were within the acceptable

range.    Additionally, for the course of the

docked phase, the CO2 levels in the shuttle

tracked well with the levels in the station.  The

station crew did not report any symptoms.

Data sampling locations for the test are

dependent upon crew sleep locations and high

activity locations because the post‐sleep activity

period and high activity periods are the times

when CO2 symptoms were reported by the two

crews.

During the upcoming four missions, the crews

will place the CDM in the middeck before they

go to sleep so that ground controllers  

can monitor CO2 levels continuously.    The

information will be used to identify CO2 “hot

spots” within the shuttle.
68 EXPERIMENTS MARCH 2008

As a result, engineering evaluations will be

made to fine‐tune air exchange analyses, to

determine if any configuration changes are

necessary to optimize airflow and to determine

if operational improvements are needed or if

crew exposure time in identified areas should

be limited.

CDM technology was successfully used to

determine the existence of CO2 pockets on the

space station.  The kit that will be used on the

shuttle will include the CDM, filters and several

battery packs.    The CDM is capable of

monitoring CO2 in a localized area for either

long or short durations of time, depending on

the operating mode.

DTO 805 Crosswind Landing 

Performance (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.

SHORT-DURATION RESEARCH 

The space shuttle and International Space

Station have an integrated research program

that optimizes use of shuttle crew members and

long‐duration space station crew members to

address research questions in a variety of

disciplines.

For information on science on the station:

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

science/index.html

or

http://iss-science.jsc.nasa.gov/index.cfm

Detailed information is located at:

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

science/experiments/Expedition.html

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 their immune systems.

Maui Analysis of Upper Atmospheric

Injections (MAUI) will observe the space

shuttle engine exhaust plumes from the  

Maui Space Surveillance Site in Hawaii.    The

observations will occur when the shuttle fires

its engines at night or twilight.  A telescope and

all‐sky imagers will take images and data while

the shuttle flies over the Maui site.  The images

will be analyzed to better understand the
MARCH 2008 EXPERIMENTS 69

interaction between the spacecraft plume and

the upper atmosphere.

Test of Midodrine as a Countermeasure

Against Post‐Flight Orthostatic Hypotension

(Midodrine) is a test of the ability of the drug

midodrine to reduce the incidence or severity of

orthostatic hypotension.  If successful, the drug

will be employed as a countermeasure to the

dizziness caused by the blood‐pressure

decrease that many astronauts experience upon

returning to the Earth’s gravity.

Bioavailablity and Performance Effects of

Promethazine during Spaceflight (PMZ) will

examine the performance‐impacting side‐effects

of promethazine and its bioavailability – the

degree to which a drug can be absorbed and

used by the parts of the body on which it is

intended to have an effect.   Promethazine is a

medication taken by astronauts to prevent

motion sickness.

Sleep‐Wake Actigraphy and Light Exposure

during Spaceflight  ‐  Short (Sleep‐Short) will

examine the effects of spaceflight on the

sleep‐wake cycles of the astronauts during

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.

Rigidizable Inflatable Get‐Away‐Special

Experiment (RIGEX) operates in the space

shuttle cargo bay and is designed to test and

collect data on inflated and rigid structures in

space.    Inflatable tubes will be heated and

cooled to form structurally stiff tubes.    It will

operate in the U.S. Department of Defense’s

(DoD) Canister for All Payload Ejections, also

known as CAPE.

Samples Returning from ISS on STS-123 

Nutritional Status Assessment (Nutrition) is

NASA’s most comprehensive in‐flight study to

date of human physiologic changes during

long‐duration spaceflight; this includes

measures of bone metabolism, oxidative

damage, nutritional assessments and hormonal

changes.    This study will impact both the

definition of nutritional requirements and

development of food systems for future space

exploration missions to the moon and Mars.  

The experiment also will help to understand the

impact of countermeasures – exercise and

pharmaceuticals – on nutritional status and

nutrient requirements for astronauts.

Neuroendocrine and Immune Responses in

Humans During and After Long Term Stay at

ISS (Immuno) provided an understanding for

the development of pharmacological tools to

counter unwanted immunological side effects

during long‐duration missions in space.    The

aim of this experiment was to determine

changes in stress and immune responses,

during and after a stay on the space station.  

This experiment will help better understand the

coupling between stress and the functioning of

the immune system.

Waving and Coiling of Arabidopsis Roots at

Different g‐levels (WAICO)l studied 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 (commonly known as thale

cress).    This experiment flew on STS‐122 and

was sponsored by the European Space Agency.
70 EXPERIMENTS MARCH 2008

A Comprehensive Characterization of

Microorganisms and Allergens in Spacecraft

(SWAB) used advanced molecular techniques

to comprehensively evaluate microbes on board

the space station, including pathogens

(organisms that may cause disease).  It tracked

changes in the microbial community as

spacecraft visit the station and new station

modules are added.    This study allowed an

assessment of the risk of microbes to the crew

and the spacecraft.

Experiments to be delivered to ISS 

The Reverse Genetic Approach to Exploring

Genes Responsible for Cell Wall Dynamics in

Supporting Tissues of Arabidopsis Under

Microgravity Conditions and Role of

Microtubule‐Membrane‐Cell Wall Continuum

in Gravity Resistance in Plants (CWRW) is a

pair of investigations that will explore the

molecular mechanism by which the cell wall

(rigid outermost layer) construction in

Arabidopsis thaliana (a small plant of the

mustard family) is regulated by gravity.    The

second will determine the importance of the

structural connections between microtubule,

plasma membrane, cell wall as the mechanism

of gravity resistance.    The results of these

investigations will support future plans to

cultivate plants on long‐duration exploration

missions.

BCAT‐4 (Binary Colloidal Alloy Test‐4) is a

follow‐on experiment to BCAT‐3.  BCAT‐4 will

study ten colloidal samples.    Seven of these

samples will determine phase separation rates

and add needed points to the phase diagram of

a model critical fluid system initially studied in

BCAT‐3.  Three of these samples will use model

hard‐spheres to explore seeded colloidal crystal

nucleation and the effects of polydispersity,

providing insight into how nature brings order

out of disorder.

Lab‐on‐a‐Chip Application Development‐

Portable Test System (LOCAD‐PTS) is a

handheld device for rapid detection of

biological and chemical substances aboard the

space station.    Astronauts will swab surfaces

within the cabin, add swab material to the

LOCAD‐PTS, and within 15 minutes obtain

results on a display screen.    The study’s

purpose is to effectively provide an early

warning system to enable crew members to

take remedial measures if necessary to protect

the health and safety of those on the station.

Test of Midodrine as a Countermeasure

Against Post‐Flight Orthostatic Hypotension –

Long (Midodrine‐Long) is a test of the ability

of the drug midodrine to reduce the incidence

or severity of orthostatic hypotension.    If

successful, it will be employed as a

countermeasure to the dizziness caused by the

blood‐pressure decrease that many astronauts

experience upon returning to the Earth’s

gravity.

Materials International Space Station

Experiment‐ 6A and 6B (MISSE‐6A and 6B) is

a test bed for materials and coatings attached to

the outside of the station being evaluated for

the effects of atomic oxygen, direct sunlight,

radiation, and extremes of heat and cold.  This

experiment allows the development and testing

of new materials to better withstand the rigors

of space environments.   Results will provide a

better understanding of the durability of

various materials when they are exposed to the

space environment with applications in the

design of future spacecraft.
MARCH 2008 EXPERIMENTS 71

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency 

Facilities Delivered 

Saibo Experiment Rack (Saibo) means “living

cell” and is a JAXA multipurpose payload rack

system that transports, stores and supports

sub‐rack facilities aboard the station.  Saibo will

support the following JAXA sub‐rack facilities:  

Clean Bench (CB) and Cell Biology Experiment

Facility (CBEF) by providing structural

interfaces, power, data, cooling, water and

other items needed to operate science

experiments in microgravity aboard the station.

Ryutai Experiment Rack (Ryutai) means

“fluid” and is a JAXA multipurpose payload

rack system that transports, stores and supports

sub‐rack facilities aboard the station.    Ryutai

will support the following JAXA sub‐rack

facilities:    Fluid Physics Experiment Facility

(FPEF); Solution Crystallization Observation

Facility (SCOF); Protein Crystallization

Research Facility (PCRF) and the Image

Processing Unit (IPU) by providing structural

interfaces, power, data, cooling, water and

other items needed to operate science

experiments in microgravity aboard the station.
72 EXPERIMENTS MARCH 2008

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SPACE SHUTTLE CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT 

MARCH 2008 CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT 73

ENDEAVOUR’S UMBILICAL WELL 

DIGITAL CAMERA NOW HAS FLASH 

CAPABILITY 

A lighting system derived from an off‐the‐shelf

flash has been added to the digital camera

mounted inside one of the orbiter’s umbilical

wells to capture 23 illuminated photographs of

the tank as it falls away from the shuttle after

the main engines shut down 8.5 minutes

following launch.

NASA’s JSC Engineering Directorate designed

and assembled the Digital Umbilical Camera

Flash Module, which consists of two modified

Nikon SB800 flash units, a charging power

system and thermostatically controlled heaters

— all mounted inside a single sealed aluminum

housing measuring 5 x 9 x 13 inches.  A slight

modification was made by Nikon to its

commercial‐off‐the‐shelf flash units, which

involved gluing the internal reflector in the

optimum position to focus and project the light.

Shedding new light on space shuttle external fuel tanks takes on a new meaning  

beginning with Endeavour’s launch on the STS‐123 mission.
74 CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT MARCH 2008

The flash module will provide light to enable

photography of the external tank as it separates

from the shuttle during darkness or heavy

shadowing.  The flash module, installed in the

left side orbiter external tank umbilical well,

begins flashing when signals are sent from the

previously flown digital umbilical camera

installed in the right side orbiter external tank

umbilical well.

The tank separates 19 seconds after the three

main engines are shutdown, and the digital

camera and new flash start taking photos four

seconds later.    Both flash units discharge

simultaneously in sync with the digital camera,

once every two seconds during a 46‐second

period.    The light from the flash will provide

adequate lighting for photographs out to the

required distance of 130 feet.  At that distance,

the tip of the external tank will have moved

into the field of view, and the camera is capable

of detecting damage to the tank insulation as

small as 1 to 2 inches in diameter.

The digital umbilical camera system fulfilled a

recommendation from the Columbia Accident

Investigation Board to provide a capability to

downlink high resolution images of the external

tank.    The digital umbilical camera takes a

sequence of digital still photographs as the tank

separates from the shuttle.    The images are

stored in camera memory and are retrieved

through 130 feet of firewire cable from a laptop

computer on the shuttle’s flight deck set up by

the crew on the first day of the mission.

The digital images of the tank’s exterior

condition are transmitted to the Mission

Control Center (MCC) in Houston, and External

Tank Project Office in Huntsville, Ala., for

analysis.    Though there currently is no

requirement for lighted imagery of the external

tank, it is highly desirable for imagery analysis

experts to review and correlate any foam loss

seen during launch by ground cameras and

those located on the tank itself and on the solid

rocket boosters.

Prototype and qualification units were tested

over the operational range of 15 to 130 feet.  

Johnson imagery experts then verified that the

design provided sufficient light output to meet

resolution requirements and determined

optimal camera aperture settings for day or

night.  The design, fabrication and certification

of four flight units cost about $1.2 million.

The new umbilical well flash will fly on

remaining shuttle missions and will flash on all

pictures — day or night.  The camera will have

different settings for day or night photography.  

These settings can be changed remotely from

the laptop computer in the crew cabin before

launch if the date slips such that the tank

separation would occur in day or night, or vice

versa.

The camera and flash unit are installed after the

shuttle is mated to its tank in KSC’s Vehicle

Assembly Building.    After installation, the

camera, flash and image transmission are tested

to ensure the system is working properly.

Expectations are that the flash will be visible in

the external tank feedline camera view as the

tank falls away from the shuttle after

separation.
MARCH 2008 CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT 75

Orbiter Umbilical Cameras and Flash
76 CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT MARCH 2008

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SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA 

MARCH 2008 SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA 77

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, Kennedy Space Center,

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 Kennedy Space Center.  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 Kennedy Space Center and achieve

the proper main engine cutoff conditions so the

vehicle can glide to the Kennedy Space Center

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 failure) to orient

the orbiter/external tank configuration to a

heads‐up attitude, pointing toward the launch
78 SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA MARCH 2008

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

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

Mission Control Center will determine that an
MARCH 2008 SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA 79

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

on‐board 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
80 SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA MARCH 2008

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 on‐board

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 on‐board 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

on‐board 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,

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.   
MARCH 2008 SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA 81

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

(4.2 meters) long, weighs about 7,000 pounds

(3,150 kilograms) and is 7.5 feet (2.25 meters) in

diameter at the end of its nozzle.

The engines operate for about 8‐1/2 minutes

during liftoff and ascent — burning more than

500,000 gallons (1.9 million liters) of super‐cold

liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen propellants

stored in the huge external tank attached to the

underside of the shuttle.    The engines shut

down just before the shuttle, traveling at about

17,000 mph (28,000 kilometers 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  

(‐253 degrees Celsius), 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 (3,316 degrees Celsius), 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 — 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 pre‐burners, thus varying the

speed of the high‐pressure turbopumps and,

therefore, the flow of the propellant.

At about 26 seconds into launch, 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 or max q.  Then, the

engines are throttled back up to 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 — again reducing stress on

the crew and the vehicle.    This acceleration
82 SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA MARCH 2008

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 to 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  

2‐1/2 747 airplanes.

The space shuttle main engine is also the first

rocket engine to use a built‐in electronic digital

controller, or computer.    The controller will

accept commands from the orbiter for engine

start, change in throttle, shutdown, and

monitor engine operation.    In the event of a

failure, the controller automatically corrects the

problem or safely shuts down the engine.

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, and 2001.    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.

After the orbiter lands, the engines are removed

and returned to a processing facility at

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 

The two SRBs provide the main thrust to lift the

space shuttle off the pad and up to an altitude

of about 150,000 feet, or 24 nautical miles

(28 statute miles).    In addition, the two SRBs

carry the entire weight of the external tank and

orbiter and transmit the weight load through

their structure to the mobile launcher platform.

Each booster has a thrust (sea level) of about

3,300,000 pounds at launch.    They are ignited

after the three space shuttle main engines’

thrust level is verified.   The two SRBs provide

71.4 percent of the thrust at liftoff and during

first‐stage ascent.    Seventy‐five seconds after

SRB separation, SRB apogee occurs at an

altitude of about 220,000 feet, or 35 nautical

miles (40 statute miles).    SRB impact occurs in

the ocean about 122 nautical miles (140 statute

miles) downrange.

The SRBs are the largest solid‐propellant

motors ever flown and the first designed for

reuse.  Each is 149.16 feet long and 12.17 feet in

diameter. Each SRB weighs about

1,300,000 pounds at launch.  The propellant for

each solid rocket motor weighs about

1,100,000 pounds.  The inert weight of each SRB

is about 192,000 pounds.
MARCH 2008 SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA 83

Primary elements of each booster are the motor

(including case, propellant, igniter and nozzle),

structure, separation systems, operational

flight instrumentation, recovery avionics,

pyrotechnics, deceleration system, thrust vector

control system and range safety destruct

system.

Each booster is attached to the external tank at

the SRB’s aft frame by two lateral sway braces

and a diagonal attachment.  The forward end of

each SRB is attached to the external tank at the

forward end of the SRB’s forward skirt.  On the

launch pad, each booster also is attached to the

mobile launcher platform at the aft skirt by four

bolts and nuts that are severed by small

explosives at liftoff.

During the downtime following the Challenger

accident, detailed structural analyses were

performed on critical structural elements of the

SRB.  Analyses were primarily focused in areas

where anomalies had been noted during

postflight inspection of recovered hardware.

One of the areas was the attach ring where the

SRBs are connected to the external tank.  Areas

of distress were noted in some of the fasteners

where the ring attaches to the SRB motor case.  

This situation was attributed to the high loads

encountered during water impact.    To correct

the situation and ensure higher strength margins

during ascent, the attach ring was redesigned to

encircle the motor case completely (360 degrees).

Previously, the attach ring formed a C and

encircled the motor case 270 degrees.

Additionally, special structural tests were done

on the aft skirt.    During this test program, an

anomaly occurred in a critical weld between the

hold‐down post and skin of the skirt.    A

redesign was implemented to add

reinforcement brackets and fittings in the aft

ring of the skirt.

These two modifications added about

450 pounds to the weight of each SRB.

The propellant mixture in each SRB motor

consists of an ammonium perchlorate (oxidizer,

69.6 percent by weight), aluminum (fuel,

16 percent), iron oxide (a catalyst, 0.4 percent), a

polymer (a binder that holds the mixture

together, 12.04 percent), and an epoxy curing

agent (1.96 percent).    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 a third 50 seconds after liftoff to prevent

overstressing the vehicle during maximum

dynamic pressure.

The SRBs are used as matched pairs and each is

made up of four solid rocket motor segments.  

The pairs are matched by loading each of the

four motor segments in pairs 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 the

launch site on a heavy‐duty rail car with a

specially built cover.

The nozzle expansion ratio of each booster

beginning with the STS‐8 mission is 7‐to‐79.  

The nozzle is gimbaled for thrust vector

(direction) control.    Each SRB has its own

redundant auxiliary power units and hydraulic

pumps.    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
84 SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA MARCH 2008

which an aft pivot‐point flexible bearing is the

gimbal mechanism.

The cone‐shaped aft skirt reacts the aft loads

between the SRB and the mobile launcher

platform.    The four aft separation motors are

mounted on the skirt.  The aft section contains

avionics, a thrust vector control system that

consists of two auxiliary power units and

hydraulic pumps, hydraulic systems and a

nozzle extension jettison system.

The forward section of each booster contains

avionics, a sequencer, forward separation

motors, a nose cone separation system, drogue

and main parachutes, a recovery beacon, a

recovery light, a parachute camera on selected

flights and a range safety system.

Each SRB has two integrated electronic

assemblies, one forward and one aft.    After

burnout, the forward assembly initiates the

release of the nose cap and frustum, a transition

piece between the nose cone and solid rocket

motor, and turns on the recovery aids.  The aft

assembly, mounted in the external tank/SRB

attach ring, connects with the forward assembly

and the orbiter avionics systems for SRB

ignition commands and nozzle thrust vector

control.    Each integrated electronic assembly

has a multiplexer/demultiplexer, which sends

or receives more than one message, signal or

unit of information on a single communication

channel.

Eight booster separation motors (four in the

nose frustum and four in the aft skirt) of each

SRB thrust for 1.02 seconds at SRB separation

from the external tank.    Each solid rocket

separation motor is 31.1 inches long and

12.8 inches in diameter.

Location aids are provided for each SRB,

frustum/drogue chutes and main parachutes.  

These include a transmitter, antenna,

strobe/converter, battery and salt‐water switch

electronics.  The location aids are designed for a

minimum operating life of 72 hours and when

refurbished are considered usable up to

20 times.  The flashing light is an exception.  It

has an operating life of 280 hours.  The battery

is used only once.

The SRB nose caps and nozzle extensions are

not recovered.

The recovery crew retrieves the SRBs,

frustum/drogue chutes, and main parachutes.  

The nozzles are plugged, the solid rocket

motors are dewatered, and the SRBs are towed

back to the launch site.    Each booster is

removed from the water, and its components

are disassembled and washed with fresh and

deionized water to limit salt‐water corrosion.  

The motor segments, igniter and nozzle are

shipped back to ATK Thiokol for

refurbishment.

Each SRB incorporates a range safety system

that includes a battery power source,

receiver/decoder, antennas and ordnance.

Hold-Down Posts 

Each solid rocket booster has four hold‐down

posts that fit into corresponding support posts

on the mobile launcher platform.    Hold‐down

bolts hold the SRB and launcher platform posts

together.  Each bolt has a nut at each end, but

only the top nut is frangible.    The top nut

contains two NASA standard detonators

(NSDs), which are ignited at solid rocket motor

ignition commands.

When the two NSDs are ignited at each hold‐

down, the hold‐down bolt travels downward

because of the release of tension in the bolt

(pretensioned before launch), NSD gas pressure
MARCH 2008 SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA 85

and gravity.    The bolt is stopped by the stud

deceleration stand, which contains sand.    The

SRB bolt is 28 inches long and 3.5 inches in

diameter.    The frangible nut is captured in a

blast container.

The solid rocket motor ignition commands are

issued by the orbiter’s computers through the

master events controllers to the hold‐down

pyrotechnic initiator controllers on the mobile

launcher platform.  They provide the ignition to

the hold‐down NSDs.    The launch processing

system monitors the SRB hold‐down PICs for

low voltage during the last 16 seconds before

launch.   PIC low voltage will initiate a launch

hold.

SRB Ignition 

SRB ignition can occur only when a manual

lock pin from each SRB safe and arm device has

been removed.   The ground crew removes the

pin during prelaunch activities.    At T minus

five 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 PIC

low voltage is indicated and there are no holds

from the LPS.

The solid rocket motor ignition commands are

sent by the orbiter computers through the

MECs to the safe and arm device NSDs in each

SRB.  A PIC single‐channel capacitor discharge

device 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‐volt dc signals

for the PICs.    The arm signal charges the

PIC capacitor to 40 volts dc (minimum of

20 volts 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

initiator, which fires down the length of the

solid rocket motor igniting the solid rocket

motor propellant.

The GPC launch sequence also controls certain

critical main propulsion system valves and

monitors the engine‐ready indications from the

SSMEs.  The MPS start commands are issued by

the on‐board computers at T minus 6.6 seconds

(staggered start — engine three, engine two,

engine one — all about 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 three seconds as well as the fire 1

command being issued to arm the SRBs.    At

T minus three seconds, the vehicle base

bending load modes are allowed to initialize

(movement of 25.5 inches measured at the tip of

the external tank, with movement towards the

external tank).

At T minus zero, the two SRBs are ignited

under command of the four on‐board

computers; separation of the four explosive

bolts on each SRB is initiated (each bolt is
86 SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA MARCH 2008

28 inches long and 3.5 inches in diameter); 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.

The solid rocket motor thrust profile is tailored

to reduce thrust during the maximum dynamic

pressure region.

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 volts dc, with an

upper limit of 32 volts dc and a lower limit of

24 volts dc.

Hydraulic Power Units 

There are two self‐contained, independent

HPUs on each SRB.    Each HPU consists of an

auxiliary power unit, fuel supply module,

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 two separate HPUs and

two hydraulic systems are located on the aft

end of each SRB between the SRB nozzle and

aft 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 external tank.  The two independent

hydraulic systems are connected to the rock and

tilt servoactuators.

The APU controller electronics are located in

the SRB aft integrated electronic assemblies on

the aft external tank attach rings.

The APUs and their fuel systems are isolated

from each other.    Each fuel supply module

(tank) contains 22 pounds of hydrazine.    The

fuel tank is pressurized with gaseous nitrogen

at 400 psi, which provides the force to expel

(positive expulsion) the fuel from the tank to

the fuel distribution line, maintaining a positive

fuel supply to the APU throughout its

operation.

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.    Then all the

fuel is supplied to the fuel pump.

The APU turbine assembly provides

mechanical power to the APU gearbox.    The

gearbox 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 is then

directed overboard through an exhaust duct.

When the APU speed reaches 100 percent, the

APU primary control valve closes, and the  
MARCH 2008 SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA 87

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 on that SRB.  

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

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 

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 thrust vector

control.

The space shuttle ascent thrust vector control

portion of the flight control system directs the

thrust of the three shuttle main engines and the

two SRB nozzles to control shuttle attitude and

trajectory during liftoff and ascent.  Commands

from the guidance system are transmitted to the

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, permitting 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
88 SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA MARCH 2008

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 

Each SRB contains two RGAs, with each RGA

containing one pitch and one yaw gyro.   These

provide an output proportional to angular rates

about the pitch and yaw axes to the orbiter

computers and guidance, navigation and control

system during first‐stage ascent flight in

conjunction with the orbiter roll rate gyros until

SRB separation.  At SRB separation, a switchover

is made from the SRB RGAs to the orbiter RGAs.

The SRB RGA rates pass through the orbiter

flight aft multiplexers/demultiplexers to the

orbiter GPCs. The RGA rates are then

mid‐value‐selected in redundancy management

to provide SRB pitch and yaw rates to the user

software.    The RGAs are designed for

20 missions.

SRB Separation 

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 external tank

within 30 milliseconds of the ordnance firing

command.

The forward attachment point consists of a ball

(SRB) and socket (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 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.

There are four booster separation motors on

each end of each SRB.   The BSMs separate the

SRBs from the external tank.   The solid rocket

motors 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.

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.
MARCH 2008 SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA 89

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

improved, making it 30 percent stronger and

5 percent less dense.

The SLWT, like the standard tank, is

manufactured at Michoud Assembly, 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.
90 SHUTTLE REFERENCE DATA MARCH 2008

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LAUNCH AND LANDING 

MARCH 2008 LAUNCH & LANDING 91

LAUNCH 

As with all previous space shuttle launches,

Atlantis has several options to abort its ascent if

needed due to 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’s 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 shuts down early and

there’s 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‐122 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.
92 LAUNCH & LANDING MARCH 2008

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MARCH 2008 ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS 93

ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS 

A/G Alignment Guides

A/L Airlock

AAA Avionics Air Assembly

ABC Audio Bus Controller

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

AJIS Alpha Joint Interface Structure

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

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
94 ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS MARCH 2008

BIC Bus Interface Controller

BIT Built‐In Test

BM Berthing Mechanism

BOS BIC Operations Software

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

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

CCHA Crew Communication Headset Assembly

CCP Camera Control Panel

CCT Communication Configuration Table

CCTV Closed‐Circuit Television

CDR Commander

CDRA Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly

CETA Crew Equipment Translation Aid

CHeCS Crew Health Care System

CHX Cabin Heat Exchanger

CISC Complicated Instruction Set Computer

CLA Camera Light Assembly

CLPA Camera Light Pan Tilt Assembly

CMG Control Moment Gyro

COTS Commercial Off the Shelf

CPA Control Panel Assembly

CPB Camera Power Box

CR Change Request

CRT Cathode‐Ray Tube

CSA Canadian Space Agency

CSA‐CP Compound Specific Analyzer

CVIU Common Video Interface Unit
MARCH 2008 ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS 95

CVT Current Value Table

CZ Communication Zone

DB Data Book

DC

DCSU

DDCU

Docking Compartment

Direct Current Switching Unit

DC‐to‐DC Converter Unit

DEM Demodulator

DFL Decommutation Format Load

DIU Data Interface Unit

DMS

DMS‐R

DPG

DPU

DRTS

DYF

Data Management System

Data Management System‐Russian

Differential Pressure Gauge

Baseband Data Processing Unit

Japanese Data Relay Satellite

Display Frame

E/L

EATCS

EBCS

ECC

Equipment Lock

External Active Thermal Control System

External Berthing Camera System

Error Correction Code

ECLSS

ECS

ECU

Environmental Control and Life Support System

Environmental Control System

Electronic Control Unit

EDSU

EDU

External Data Storage Unit

EEU Driver Unit

EE End Effector

EETCS

EEU

EF

EFBM

EFHX

EFU

EGIL

EIU

Early External Thermal Control System

Experiment Exchange Unit

Exposed Facility

Exposed Facility Berthing Mechanism

Exposed Facility Heat Exchanger

Exposed Facility Unit

Electrical, General Instrumentation, and Lighting

Ethernet Interface Unit

ELM‐ES

ELM‐PS

ELPS

EMGF

EMI

EMU

E‐ORU

Japanese Experiment Logistics Module – Exposed Section

Japanese Experiment Logistics Module – Pressurized Section

Emergency Lighting Power Supply

Electric Mechanical Grapple Fixture

Electro‐Magnetic Imaging

Extravehicular Mobility Unit

EVA Essential ORU

EP Exposed Pallet
96 ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS MARCH 2008

EPS Electrical Power System

ES Exposed Section

ESA European Space Agency

ESC JEF System Controller

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

EVA Extravehicular Activity

EXP‐D Experiment‐D

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

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

GCA Ground Control Assist

GLA General Lighting Assemblies

General Luminaire Assembly

GLONASS Global Navigational Satellite System

GNC Guidance, Navigation, and Control

GPC General Purpose Computer

GPS Global Positioning System
MARCH 2008 ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS 97

GPSR

GUI

Global Positioning System Receiver

Graphical User Interface

H&S Health and Status

HCE

HCTL

Heater Control Equipment

Heater Controller

HEPA

HPA

HPP

High Efficiency Particulate Acquisition

High Power Amplifier

Hard Point Plates

HRDR

HREL

HRFM

HRM

High Rate Data Recorder

Hold/Release Electronics

High Rate Frame Multiplexer

Hold Release Mechanism

HRMS

HTV

High Rate Multiplexer and Switcher

H‐II Transfer Vehicle

HTV Prox

HTVCC

HTV Proximity

HTV Control Center

HX Heat Exchanger

I/F

IAA

IAC

Interface

Intravehicular Antenna Assembly

Internal Audio Controller

IBM International Business Machines

ICB

ICC

ICS

ICS‐EF

IDRD

IELK

IFHX

IMCS

IMCU

IMV

Inner Capture Box

Integrated Cargo Carrier

Interorbit Communication System

Interorbit Communication System ‐ Exposed Facility

Increment Definition and Requirements Document

Individual Equipment Liner Kit

Interface Heat Exchanger

Integrated Mission Control System

Image Compressor Unit

Intermodule Ventilation

INCO Instrumentation and Communication Officer

IP International Partner

IP‐PCDU ICS‐PM Power Control and Distribution Unit

IP‐PDB

ISP

ISPR

ISS

ISSSH

ITCS

ITS

Payload Power Distribution Box

International Standard Payload

International Standard Payload Rack

International Space Station

International Space Station Systems Handbook

Internal Thermal Control System

Integrated Truss Segment
98 ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS MARCH 2008

IVA

IVSU

Intravehicular Activity

Internal Video Switch Unit

JAL JEM Air Lock

JAXA

JCP

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency

JEM Control Processor

JEF

JEM

JEMAL

JEM Exposed Facility

Japanese Experiment Module

JEM Air lock

JEM‐PM JEM – Pressurized Module

JEMRMS

JEUS

JFCT

JLE

JPM

JPM WS

Japanese Experiment Module Remote Manipulator System

Joint Expedited Undocking and Separation

Japanese Flight Control Team

Japanese Experiment Logistics Module – Exposed Section

Japanese Pressurized Module

JEM Pressurized Module Workstation

JSC

JTVE

Johnson Space Center

JEM Television Equipment

Kbps

KOS

KSC

Kilobit per second

Keep Out Sphere

Kennedy Space Center

LB Local Bus

LCA

LCD

LED

LEE

LMC

LSW

LTA

LAB Cradle Assembly

Liquid Crystal Display

Light Emitting Diode

Latching End Effector

Lightweight MPESS Carrier

Light Switch

Launch‐to‐Activation

LTAB Launch‐to‐Activation Box

LTL Low Temperature Loop

MA Main Arm

MAUI

Mb

Mbps

MBS

MBSU

MCA

MCC

Main Analysis of Upper‐Atmospheric Injections

Megabit

Megabit per second

Mobile Base System

Main Bus Switching Unit

Major Constituent Analyzer

Mission Control Center

MCC‐H Mission Control Center – Houston
MARCH 2008 ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS 99

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

MGB Middle Grapple Box

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 Multipurpose Experiment Support Structure

MPEV Manual Pressure Equalization Valve

MPL Manipulator Retention Latch

MPLM Multipurpose Logistics Module

MPM Manipulator Positioning Mechanism

MPV Manual Procedure Viewer

MSD Mass Storage Device

MSFC Marshall Space Flight Center

MSP Maintenance Switch Panel

MSS Mobile Servicing System

MT Mobile Tracker

MTL Moderate Temperature Loop

MUX Data Multiplexer

n.mi. nautical mile

NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration

NCS Node Control Software

NET No Earlier Than

NLT No Later Than

NPRV Negative Pressure Relief Valve

NSV Network Service

NTA Nitrogen Tank Assembly

NTSC National Television Standard Committee
100 ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS MARCH 2008

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

ORCA Oxygen Recharge Compressor Assembly

ORU Orbital Replacement Unit

OS Operating System

OSA Orbiter‐based Station Avionics

OSE Orbital Support Equipment

OTCM ORU and Tool Changeout Mechanism

OTP ORU and Tool Platform

P/L Payload

PAL Planning and Authorization Letter

PAM Payload Attach Mechanism

PAO Public Affairs Office

PBA Portable Breathing Apparatus

PCA Pressure Control Assembly

PCBM Passive Common Berthing Mechanism

PCN Page Change Notice

PCS Portable Computer System

PCU 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

PFE Portable Fire Extinguisher

PGSC Payload General Support Computer

PIB Power Interface Box

PIU Payload Interface Unit

PLB Payload Bay

PLBD Payload Bay Door
MARCH 2008 ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS 101

PLC

PLT

Pressurized Logistics Carrier

Payload Laptop Terminal

Pilot

PM Pressurized Module

PMA

PMCU

POA

POR

Pressurized Mating Adapter

Power Management Control Unit

Payload ORU Accommodation

Point of Resolution

PPRV Positive Pressure Relief Valve

PRCS

PREX

Primary Reaction Control System

Procedure Executor

PRLA

PROX

psia

PSP

PSRR

PTCS

PTR

Payload Retention Latch Assembly

Proximity Communications Center

Pounds per Square Inch Absolute

Payload Signal Processor

Pressurized Section Resupply Rack

Passive Thermal Control System

Port Thermal Radiator

PTU

PVCU

Pan/Tilt Unit

Photovoltaic Controller Unit

PVM Photovoltaic Module

PVR Photovoltaic Radiator

PVTCS Photovoltaic Thermal Control System

QD Quick Disconnect

R&MA

RACU

Restraint and Mobility Aid

Russian‐to‐American Converter Unit

RAM

RBVM

Read Access Memory

Radiator Beam Valve Module

RCC

RCT

RF

RGA

RHC

Range Control Center

Rack Configuration Table

Radio Frequency

Rate Gyro Assemblies

Rotational Hand Controller

RIGEX

RIP

Rigidizable Inflatable Get‐Away Special Experiment

Remote Interface Panel

RLF

RLT

RMS

ROEU

ROM

R‐ORU

Robotic Language File

Robotic Laptop Terminal

Remote Manipulator System

Remotely Operated Electrical Umbilical

Read Only Memory

Robotics Compatible Orbital Replacement Unit
102 ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS MARCH 2008

ROS

RPC

Russian Orbital Segment

Remote Power Controller

RPCM Remote Power Controller Module

RPDA

RPM

Remote Power Distribution Assembly

Roll Pitch Maneuver

RS

RSP

RSR

RT

Russian Segment

Return Stowage Platform

Resupply Stowage Rack

Remote Terminal

RTAS

RVFS

RWS

Rocketdyne Truss Attachment System

Rendezvous Flight Software

Robotics Workstation

SAFER

SAM

Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue

SFA Airlock Attachment Mechanism

SARJ

SCU

SD

Solar Alpha Rotary Joint

Sync and Control Unit

Smoke Detector

SDS

SEDA

SEDA‐AP

SELS

SEU

SFA

Sample Distribution System

Space Environment Data Acquisition equipment

Space Environment Data Acquisition equipment ‐ Attached Payload

SpaceOps Electronic Library System

Single Event Upset

Small Fine Arm

SFAE SFA Electronics

SI Smoke Indicator

SLM Structural Latch Mechanism

SLP‐D

SLP‐D1

SLP‐D2

SLT

SM

Spacelab Pallet – D

Spacelab Pallet – Deployable

Spacelab Pallet ‐ D2

Station Laptop Terminal

System Laptop Terminal

Service Module

SMDP Service Module Debris Panel

SOC

SODF

SPA

SPB

System Operation Control

Space Operations Data File

Small Payload Attachment

Survival Power Distribution Box

SPDA

SPDM

SPEC

SRAM

Secondary Power Distribution Assembly

Special Purpose Dextrous Manipulator

Specialist

Static RAM
MARCH 2008 ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS 103

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

STR Starboard Thermal Radiator

STS Space Transfer System

STVC SFA Television Camera

SVS Space Vision System T‐RAD Tile Repair Ablator Dispenser

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

TCCV Temperature Control and Check Valve

TCS 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
104 ACRONYMS/ABBREVIATIONS MARCH 2008

TUS

TVC

Trailing Umbilical System

Television Camera

UCCAS

UCM

Unpressurized Cargo Carrier Attach System

Umbilical Connect Mechanism

UCM‐E

UCM‐P

UHF

UIL

ULC

UMA

UOP

UPC

US LAB

USA

USOS

UCM – Exposed Section Half

UCM – Payload Half

Ultrahigh Frequency

User Interface Language

Unpressurized Logistics Carrier

Umbilical Mating Adapter

Utility Outlet Panel

Up Converter

United States Laboratory

United Space Alliance

United States On‐Orbit Segment

VAJ

VBSP

VCU

Vacuum Access Jumper

Video Baseband Signal Processor

Video Control Unit

VDS

VLU

VRA

VRCS

VRCV

Video Distribution System

Video Light Unit

Vent Relief Assembly

Vernier Reaction Control System

Vent Relief Control Valve

VRIV Vent Relief Isolation Valve

VSU Video Switcher Unit

VSW Video Switcher

WAICO

WCL

WETA

WIF

Waiving and Coiling

Water Cooling Loop

Wireless Video System External Transceiver Assembly

Work Interface

WRM

WRS

WS

Water Recovery and Management

Water Recovery System

Water Separator

Work Site

Work Station

WVA Water Vent Assembly

ZSR Zero‐g Stowage Rack
MARCH 2008 MEDIA ASSISTANCE 105

MEDIA ASSISTANCE 

NASA TELEVISION TRANSMISSION 

NASA Television is carried on an MPEG‐2

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 (DVB)  ‐compliant Integrated

Receiver Decoder (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 on‐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:

Status Reports 

Status reports on launch countdown and

mission progress, on‐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.

Briefings 

A mission press briefing schedule will be issued

before launch.    The updated NASA television

schedule will indicate when mission briefings

are planned.

Participation in Mission Status 

Briefings by Phone

During STS‐123, JSC will operate a phone

bridge for press briefings that take place

outside of the normal business hours of  

8 a.m.  ‐  5 p.m.    CST Monday through Friday.  

The system will allow media not present at

Johnson to ask questions by phone during

mission status briefings.    To be eligible to use

this service, media must possess a valid NASA

media credential.

Media planning to use the service must contact

the Johnson Newsroom at 281/483‐5111 no later

than 15 minutes prior to the start of a briefing.  

Newsroom personnel will verify their

credentials and transfer them to the phone

bridge.  During the briefing, the moderator will

call on each participant that has been

transferred into the system for questions.   The

capacity of the phone bridge is limited, and it

will be available on a first‐come, first‐served

basis.
106 MEDIA ASSISTANCE MARCH 2008

More Internet Information 

Information on the International Space Station

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
MARCH 2008 PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACTS 107

PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACTS 

HEADQUARTERS 

WASHINGTON, DC 

Michael Braukus

Public Affairs Officer

International Partners

202‐358‐1979

michael.j.braukus@nasa.gov

Katherine Trinidad

Public Affairs Officer

Space Operations

202‐358‐3749

katherine.trinidad@nasa.gov

John Yembrick

Public Affairs Officer

Space Operations

202‐358‐0602

john.yembrick-1@nasa.gov

Mike Curie

Public Affairs Officer

Space Operations

202‐358‐4715

michael.curie@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

Kylie Clem

Public Affairs Specialist

Astronauts and Mission Operations Directorate

281‐483‐5111

kylie.s.clem@nasa.gov

Nicole Cloutier‐Lemasters

Public Affairs Specialist

International Space Station

281‐483‐5111

nicole.cloutier-1@nasa.gov

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER 

CAPE CANAVERAL, FLORIDA 

Allard Beutel

News Chief

321‐867‐2468

allard.beutel@nasa.gov

Candrea Thomas

Public Affairs Specialist

Space Shuttle

321‐861‐2468

candrea.k.thomas@nasa.gov

Tracy Young

Public Affairs Specialist

International Space Station

321‐867‐2468

tracy.g.young@nasa.gov
108 PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACTS MARCH 2008

MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER 

HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA 

Dom Amatore

Public Affairs Manager

256‐544‐0034

dominic.a.amatore@nasa.gov

June Malone

Public Affairs Specialist

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 

Linda Theobald

Public Affairs Officer

228‐688‐3249

linda.l.theobald@nasa.gov

Paul Foerman

News Chief

228‐688‐1880

paul.foerman-1@nasa.gov

AMES RESEARCH CENTER 

MOFFETT FIELD, CALIFORNIA 

Mike Mewhinney

News Chief

650‐604‐3937

michael.mewhinney@nasa.gov

Jonas Dino

Public Affairs Specialist

650‐604‐5612

jonas.dino@nasa.gov

DRYDEN FLIGHT RESEARCH CENTER 

EDWARDS, CALIFORNIA 

Fred Johnsen

Director, Public Affairs

661‐276‐2998

frederick.a.johnsen@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

Katherine Martin

Public Affairs Specialist

216‐433‐2406

katherine.martin@nasa.gov

LANGLEY RESEARCH CENTER 

HAMPTON, VIRGINIA 

Marny Skora

Head, News Media Office

757‐864‐3315

marny.skora@nasa.gov

Chris Rink

Public Affairs Officer

757‐864‐6786

christopher.p.rink@nasa.gov
MARCH 2008 PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACTS 109

Kathy Barnstorff

Public Affairs Officer

757‐864‐9886

katherine.a.barnstorff@nasa.gov

UNITED SPACE ALLIANCE 

Jessica Pieczonka

Houston Operations

281‐212‐6252

832‐205‐0480

jessica.b.pieczonka@usa-spaceops.com

David Waters

Florida Operations

321‐861‐3805

david.waters@usa-spaceops.com

BOEING 

Tanya Deason‐Sharp

Media Relations

Boeing Space Exploration

281‐226‐6070

tanya.e.deason-sharp@boeing.com

Ed Memi

Media Relations

Boeing Space Exploration

281‐226‐4029

edmund.g.memi@boeing.com

JAPAN AEROSPACE EXPLORATION 

AGENCY (JAXA)

JAXA Public Affairs Office

Tokyo, Japan

011‐81‐3‐6266‐6414, 6415, 6416, 6417

proffice@jaxa.jp

Kumiko Tanabe

JAXA Public Affairs Representative

Houston

281‐483‐2251

tanabe.kumiko@jaxa.jp

CANADIAN SPACE AGENCY (CSA) 

Jean‐Pierre Arseneault

Manager, Media Relations  

& Information Services

Canadian Space Agency

514‐824‐0560 (cell)

jean-pierre.arseneault@space.gc.ca

Isabelle Laplante

Media Relations Advisor

Canadian Space Agency

450‐926‐4370

isabelle.laplante@space.gc.ca

EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY (ESA) 

Clare Mattok

Communication Dept.

Paris, France

011‐33‐1‐5369‐7412

clare.mattok@esa.int
110 PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACTS MARCH 2008

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