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Shuttle Adventures: An Album of Kerbalized Space Shuttle Missions


Kuiper_Belt

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A New Type Of Shuttle

In the early days of the shuttle program NASA wanted tp achieve funding for the space shuttle from the DoD and USAF by building the vehicle to fit the purposes needed to benefit both parts of the US Government. With these agreements NASA designed the space shuttle to go on carry the next generation of spy satellites and to follow a checklist of Air Force needs such as remote and manned reconnaissance of areas of interest, payload inspection and deployment, and science or reconnaissance payload retrieval and study. With this NASA and the USAF have made an agreement at a new shuttle, which would be named Pathfinder. Pathfinder will help both NASA and the USAF in a multitude of missions, which many of these tasks will be completed on the first shuttle flight of Pathfinder. STS-61A Will be shuttle flight heavily classified mission in which the US Air Force will operate a new orbiter and use it for testing of Next Generation Reconnaissance Technology and Some minor Orbiter testing for long term orbital stays and increasingly intense Shuttle missions, which will truly let the Shuttle be the best it can be

 

The Launch

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The Orbit

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Some Top Tier Trolling in ksp

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The Landing

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Conclusion and Final Notes

This mission was something I've like the idea of for a long time and I'm finally glad I got to do it, and I may not be the best at making shuttle payloads I'm really proud of this one. I think after this I'll try some more Pathfinder stuff along with some more interesting ideas. I think the next thing I may do is a slightly big project of a shuttle oriented future involving Military shuttles, Advanced shuttles, and maybe even shuttle stations such as a mix of SS Enterprise and SS Columbia (Note it would NOT be a full on AH, that's not something I have time for yet and instead you should look at Chasing Dreams if you want a good shuttle Alternative history). But either way once I get my ksp fully operational and my brain fully in think mode after this Summer break of laziness I'll get to making more stuff. So stay tuned :D.
 

Also this is my first time ever doing something like this besides sending challenger to the moon so I hope you don't mind all the issues in it.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Another STS-1: There Are Many Like it, but This One is Mine:

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June, 1979: After close to a decade of one of the most complex engineering initiatives ever undertaken, America's Space Shuttle stands on Pad 39A for her maiden voyage. Gleaming white in the early morning sun, Columbia slowly comes to life as her systems are powered up. This first flight of STS will last just over two and a half days, enough time to comprehensively test the orbiter's systems under a variety of conditions.

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A slight overburn causes the ET to enter a higher orbit than planned. Instead of reentering the atmosphere at the next perigee, it will persist for several orbits before decaying over the Indian Ocean.

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After circularizing her own orbit, Columbia opens her payload bay doors to expose the radiators inside. Now, the mission can truly begin.

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No payload is carried on this first flight, save for a small development flight instrumentation pallet, containing sensors which recorded temperatures, pressures, acceleration, and other such forces acting upon the orbiter throughout the flight.

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During most of the orbital flight, Columbia flies upside down and pointing retrograde, a configuration meant to minimize the risk of micrometeoroid strikes on the crew compartment and payload bay.

 

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Several burns are performed using the OMS thrusters, evaluating the orbiter's ability to change its altitude and flight path.

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As a precautionary measure for this developmental mission, NASA has arranged for the orbiter to be imaged in flight by a [REDACTED], courtesy of the US Air Force. This is done in order to detect any missing thermal protection tiles and ensure the heat shield is fit for reentry.

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Two OMS maneuvers are performed with only one engine, proving that the orbiter can still maneuver in case a single thruster fails.

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Columbia deorbits and reenters on schedule, heralding its arrival into the skies above Edwards Air Force Base with a pair of sonic booms.

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Maneuvering through the HAC, Columbia aligns with Runway 23 as chase planes begin filming the approach.

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As the nosewheel touches the dry lakebed and the orbiter rolls to a stop, cheers erupt at NASA facilities nationwide and cigars and flags are passed out in the Houston MOCR. America's space shuttle has finally done it, welcome home Columbia!

 

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Not to clog the thread, but...

STS-2: "Wanna see me do it again?":

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December, 1979. America's space shuttle stands on the launch pad for a second time, after being ferried back from California, outfitted with a new payload, and stacked with a new external tank and pair of SRBs. With most of the basic operational capabilities of the shuttle verified on STS-1, Columbia's second mission is to focus on the on-orbit capabilities of the shuttle. While the DFI pallet is carried on this flight to gather more instrumentation readings, the first operational shuttle payloads are also to be launched today. Among the experiments on the manifest are a Spacelab pallet containing multiple OSTA experiments, a side-looking radar mapping antenna, and most notably the Shuttle Remote Manipulator System, better known as Canadarm.

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Guidance is much more stable on this launch, with most of the bugs having been caught on the STS-1 ascent.

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The final painted external tank is imaged through the Orbiter's forward windows. All future flights will fly with a rust-colored, unpainted tank.

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Assuming her standard orbital attitude, Columbia opens her payload bay doors to begin the two-day mission schedule.

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After a brief rest period, the crew begin the first tests on the flight plan. The first day in orbit is focused on testing the Canadarm. Incapable of lifting its own weight in Earth gravity, the SMRS has been specially designed to grapple and move large payloads in the vacuum of space. While the arm is not to  deploy a payload on this mission, a target grappling point has been installed in the payload  bay to practice approach and attachment maneuvers. As the arm is unstowed from its rest position, the crew film it through the rear cabin windows, providing mission control with live video feed of the operation.

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After a few practice approaches on the target point, the arm is repositioned above the orbiter with its end looking down. Using the television camera on the end of the arm, the crew focus on their spacecraft and perform a visual inspection of the exterior.

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After the arm is returned to its berth and powered down, the crew begin a sleep period. The next morning, they shift their focus to the secondary mission payloads. The radar panel is angled towards the earth and used to map the surface over the course of several orbits. The images from this mission will be compared and used alongside existing Landsat data to create high-resolution maps of the globe. Several other sensors mounted inside the payload bay collect data on the near-earth environment around the orbiter, returning readouts on radiation levels, cosmic rays, gas particle presence, and ambient temperature.

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Deorbit occurs at MET 2 days, 1 hour, 12 minutes, and places the orbiter on track for a landing at Edwards AFB.

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Once subsonic, Columbia begins to fly the HAC while a pair of chase planes approach from the rear.

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The orbiter touched down on Runway 23L on the dry lakebed, however the crew failed to cancel all yaw rates prior to touchdown resulting in the vehicle rolling across the dividing line onto 23R before wheel stop.

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Having completed her second flight to orbit, Columbia is now the world's first reusable spacecraft in deed as well as name. Her third flight is scheduled for the summer of 1980.

 

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On 7/25/2022 at 1:28 AM, AstroMods said:

A New Type Of Shuttle

On 8/6/2022 at 5:26 PM, pTrevTrevs said:

Another STS-1: There Are Many Like it, but This One is Mine:

On 8/8/2022 at 2:05 PM, pTrevTrevs said:

STS-2: "Wanna see me do it again?":

Fantastic stuff! I loved reading and looking at these wonderful missions!

On 8/8/2022 at 2:05 PM, pTrevTrevs said:

Not to clog the thread, but...

Feel free to post as much stuff as you like! I really like to see people channeling their passions for the shuttles in this thread!

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STS-3: Orang Tank Bad:

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So, maybe today's title is a dig at how many people I've seen doing shuttle missions with the white external tank, maybe I just couldn't think of anything better...

May, 1980: America's Space Shuttle prepares for her third journey into space, this time with the intention to stay there much longer. The seven-day mission of STS-3 will continue the operational capability assessments begun on STS-2, with a flight plan filled with advanced SRMS testing, thermal evaluations, and crew-operated experiments to be performed on orbit. For all its novelties, however, STS-3 will become known for one major addition in the form of an unpainted External Tank. The white tanks Columbia used on her first two spaceflights were  significantly heavier and more expensive than the new lightweight model being tested today, and if it meets expectations the rust-colored ET will allow a considerable increase in payload margins. Finally, STS-3 is the first shuttle mission to launch on its originally-planned launch date, demonstrating the ever-increasing efficiency of the STS infrastructure and the reliability of its design.

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Columbia soars into a clear springtime sky as thousands of onlookers cheer her on from nearby Titusville and Cocoa Beach.

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As she rolls to the nominal heads-down, wings-level orientation the two astronauts aboard catch a view of Missile Row to the south, including the still-active pads at LC-34 and LC-37, currently used to launch Saturn IC rockets with Apollo spacecraft to the Skylab space station (See my posts in the Bluedog Design Bureau thread).

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Following SRB jettison, the shuttle rolls upright for the final push into orbit.

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Once in an elliptical orbit with a low perigee over the Indian Ocean, Columbia casts off her external tank, which will disintegrate in the atmosphere soon afterward.

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Meanwhile the shuttle itself raises its own orbit to a stable altitude and prepares to begin operations.

 

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Like on STS-2, Columbia carries a set of OSTA instruments on a Spacelab pallet to collect data on the environment in and around the orbiter's payload bay. Additionally, a single test canister for the Getaway Special program is mounted inside the payload bay, and a small cylindrical package known as the Plasma Diagnostics Package. The PDP is to be grappled by the SRMS and moved around the orbiter to study the particle fields surrounding it.

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The Development Flight Instrumentation Package is once again flown aboard the shuttle, collecting data on forces exerted on the vehicle during flight. For the first time, multiple experiments are carried on the Shuttle's mid-deck, such as an electrophoresis test package, a mono-disperse latex reactor experiment, and the first of a series of contraptions developed by American students, a study on insect motion in zero-G.

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With the Canadarm exercises taking priority on the flight, the crew begins working in the payload bay late into the first day in orbit. The arm is moved around to different positions so the crew can familiarize themselves with its operation, finally positioning it above the PDP in preparation for grappling it on the next day.

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After a sleep period, the crew berth with the PDP and unlatch it from its storage mount. To their surprise, however, the switch to do so unlatched both the PDP's mounting bracket and the SRMS's end effector! Having already begun to move the arm upwards, the force from the mounting bracket pushes the PDP upwards, where it bumps into the arm and begins a slow spin.

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Unable to catch the package with the arm, the astronauts watch helplessly as it spirals out of the payload bay and into the void. The package relies on a data connection from the Canadarm to send telemetry to the orbiter, and with no way to restore the connection the entire experiment is a bust.

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Doing their best to take the incident in stride, the CDR cracks a joke about holding the record for the first payload deployed from the Shuttle. Technically, this is true, but the "payload" in question was never meant to fly free of the Shuttle and has no way of operating in this way. In the coming years the "butterfingers" incident would become the subject of a humorous rivalry between the crews of STS-3 and STS-4 (who *actually* would deploy the first free-flying Shuttle payload). The feud would culminate in 1982, when the STS-3 CDR received a set of rubber-tipped work gloves in a custom case modelled after the PDP. In return, the crew sent the CDR and PLT of STS-4 a matching set of coffee mugs labelled "World's 2nd Best Astronaut".

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At the present, however, there was no time to dwell on the Canadarm's failure. As a substitute, the crew performed more practice grapples with the now-vacant PDP mounting bracket, verifying that the arm could at least move in a precise and controlled manner.

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Canadarm tests would continue for the next few days, and beginning on flight day four, the crew would shift their focus to the mid-deck experiments, During this time they also reoriented the orbiter to photograph landmarks on the ground. Here Columbia is seen flying over the Arabian desert, observing cloud patterns as they move in from the Persian Gulf.

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Several OMS burns are also performed during this time, changing the shuttle's altitude and orbital inclination in preparation for landing.

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After seven days in space, the orbiter fires her engines once more and prepares for landing.

 

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Shattering the early morning silence, Columbia blasts her twin sonic booms into the skies above Edwards AFB as she descends.

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Slight flooding further out on the lakebed (and the fact that I don't have anything set up at White Sands) forces the shuttle to touchdown on Runway 15 instead of the customary Runway 23. 

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Safely landed for a third time, Columbia is promptly moved to her processing facility to be prepared for transport back to Kennedy Space Center for her final test, currently scheduled for November.

 

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On 8/14/2022 at 8:01 PM, pTrevTrevs said:

STS-3: Orang Tank Bad:

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So, maybe today's title is a dig at how many people I've seen doing shuttle missions with the white external tank, maybe I just couldn't think of anything better...

May, 1980: America's Space Shuttle prepares for her third journey into space, this time with the intention to stay there much longer. The seven-day mission of STS-3 will continue the operational capability assessments begun on STS-2, with a flight plan filled with advanced SRMS testing, thermal evaluations, and crew-operated experiments to be performed on orbit. For all its novelties, however, STS-3 will become known for one major addition in the form of an unpainted External Tank. The white tanks Columbia used on her first two spaceflights were  significantly heavier and more expensive than the new lightweight model being tested today, and if it meets expectations the rust-colored ET will allow a considerable increase in payload margins. Finally, STS-3 is the first shuttle mission to launch on its originally-planned launch date, demonstrating the ever-increasing efficiency of the STS infrastructure and the reliability of its design.

 

 

 

But orange tank is good, white isnt terrible but orange good.

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Most of my screenshots for this mission were inexplicably corrupted. Nevertheless...

 

STS-4 :The Final Exam:

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October, 1980: STS-4 is minutes away from launch, ready to perform the final research and development of the Space Shuttle program. This final test flight will be more demanding and complex than any mission flown thus far, involving both a rendezvous and a free-flight payload. If all goes well, this will be the final flight of Columbia to carry only two astronauts, and will mark the end of the Shuttle's testing phase. Additionally, this flight will prove one of the most anticipated capabilities of STS; the ability to provide a backup supply ability to the Skylab space station. While Skylab's servicing needs primarily rely on the Apollo Block III infrastructure based out of CCAFS LC-34 and LC-37, the launch failure of AAP-4 has alerted NASA to the possibility that Saturn IC and Apollo may not always be available for this task. For the sake of redundancy, the STS division in Houston has developed the Teleoperator Retrieval System, a backup vehicle which can be launched by the Shuttle and provide attitude control and reboost capability for the station should it ever undergo another extended period of no crewed activity. The TRS has been designed for launch aboard both STS and the new Titan 34D launch vehicle, and its first test on STS-4 will provide the Shuttle with a welcome toehold in the Skylab program. If the Shuttle can demonstrate use of the Canadarm to deploy practical payloads such as the TRS, it can also feasibly deliver large expansions to the station as part of the planned modernization effort. In addition to the Skylab rendezvous, STS-4 also carries the first payloads for the US Department of Defense, as well as another diagnostics package intended to be operated by the SRMS, and the last set of OSTA Spacelab experiments.

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Note that photography of this mission is limited due to the classified nature of the DOD hardware aboard.

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With the TRS, SRMS, OSTA pallet, and DFI frame all flying on today's mission, STS-4 carries the largest and heaviest Shuttle payload to date. This record, however, will soon be surpassed by the even more complex payloads planned for STS-5, 6, and 7.

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Columbia's approach to Skylab takes just under two days, during which the rendezvous radar, RCS subsystems, and two-way radio equipment is tested. There is currently no crew aboard Skylab, however the astronauts aboard Columbia test the ability to receive telemetry from the station during this phase.

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Finally, just before sunset at the beginning of flight day three, Columbia comes within sight of the venerable station. By this point, Skylab has been in orbit for over six years and has hosted eight three-man crews aboard. The next expedition to the station, Skylab 10, is scheduled for the end of this year.

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After stationkeeping at a distance of 150 meters from the station throughout the orbital night, Columbia's pilot maneuvers the Canadarm to grapple the TRS and prepare to release it from the payload bay.

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TRS-1 thus becomes the first free-flying payload to be deployed and operated from the Shuttle, much to the chagrin of the STS-3 crew who experienced an embarrassing failure to operate the captive Plasma Diagnostics Package on their flight five months prior. 

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While the TRS is slowly manhandled into the planned release position, the shuttle commander struggles to stationkeep with Skylab. It has become apparent that the current digital autopilot configuration for Columbia's RCS thrusters, which has been sufficient for free-flight operations, is not properly balanced for rendezvous and stationkeeping. The CDR suspects that he would have been unable to safely dock with the station, even if this had been called for in the mission plan. The RCS setup will need to be tweaked for future missions involving proximity operations with other spacecraft.

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None of this difficulty impedes operation of the TRS, however, and the vehicle is released to cross the 200-meter gap to Skylab on its own. From this point, the shuttle's PLT will operate the TRS remotely, using a television camera onboard and a console in the rear of the cockpit developed from the remote docking systems used by Skylab crews to guide in Aardvark resupply freighters.

From here my screenshots started getting corrupted. Unfortunately I don't have any good photos of the docking, but rest assured it proceeded as planned. The TRS is currently berthed to the forward drogue on Skylab's MDA and will be used to boost the station's orbit in the weeks after STS-4's return.

 

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Having verified the TRS's connections to Skylab, the crew re-berths the SRMS and prepares to depart the station. After lowering their orbit to move a safe distance from Skylab, they spend the rest of day three resting. The rendezvous had been more taxing than expected, and mission control decides to postpone the mission's second phase until flight day four.

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On day four, the crew activates the DOD hardware in their payload bay. Information about this system is still classified, however it is known to be a system designed for detecting missile launches from orbit. According to the crew's post-mission reports the payload failed to work.

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What did work, however, is the Induced Environment Contaminant Monitor, a square package similar to the PDP which the crew grappled and moved around the orbiter. Following the loss of the PDP on the previous shuttle flight, several of its instruments have also been installed on the IECM, allowing the crew of STS-4 to complete the planned tests from STS-3.

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The IECM is moved around the orbiter throughout flight days five and six, collecting measurements from both sides of the cockpit, above the payload bay, along the leading edge of the left wing, and below the orbiter's underbelly.

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At the end of flight day six, the IECM is returned to its berth atop the DFI pallet and powered down. It will be returned to Earth and its measurements analyzed for use improving future shuttle flights.

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Columbia spends one final day in orbit, during which the crew rests and completes the internal experiments which had also been performed on the orbiter's mid-deck throughout the flight. Shortly after morning on flight day eight, the payload bay doors are closed and the orbiter prepared for reentry.

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While the basics of Shuttle's reentry and touchdown are confidently understood, STS-4's visit to Skylab necessitated launch into (and return from) a significantly more inclined orbit than had yet been attempted. This fact meant that Columbia's touchdown point was initially off-target due to the rotation of the Earth, requiring the crew to exploit her cross-range capability to return to Edwards AFB. The vehicle very nearly overshot the landing strip and was only placed on target by a dangerous high-G turn over the airfield. Approach and landing procedures will be further refined following this incident to improve touchdown predictions.

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Columbia touched down shortly after 8:00am local time after over seven days in orbit. Her landing on Runway 22 marked Columbia's first touchdown on a concrete runway, although her predecessor Enterprise had ended her final free flight on this same runway some three years prior.

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At wheel-stop, the President of the United States was present to greet the crew and inspect the orbiter. Amidst cheering applause from gathered spectators, he proudly declared that the Space Shuttle had satisfactorily completed its testing program and was now an operational vehicle. Following return to Kennedy Space Center, Columbia's ejection seats were deactivated and some of her development instrumentation removed. STS-4 would be the last flight to make use of them, as well as the last flight to carry two astronauts aboard the Shuttle. Her next mission, STS-5, would fly in early 1981 and would deploy the first commercial payloads from the Shuttle, marking the beginning of a new golden age for NASA's manned spaceflight program.

 

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On 1/9/2022 at 4:11 PM, Kuiper_Belt said:

MOAR BOOSTERS! - Space Shuttle Booster Upgrades WIP

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The X-38 CRV - A Shuttles Shuttle

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I'm really pleased with how I got the CRV to look! I think I got the shape down pretty well but that's up to the eye of the beholder :P. I found the service module to be a lot more nebulous from my research, as a result I just made my own realish one. I'll probably put it on some conventional rockets at some point and play with it!

Both of these projects are rather close to being "Production Ready" but I'll be busy IRL for a while so the missions will be coming slower. Another issue is that ISS is not the bulk standard ISS. That's the original! With the ambitious Russian Segment which adds crazy amounts of parts and then the US HAB and CAM modules (In the previous image you can spot the CAM in the top left, the HAB on Tranquilities port CBM and the Science Power Platform in the bottom right (Yes I know the Science Power Platforms Solar panels shouldn't gimbal on the beam I don't want to turn off the sun tracking in configs as the panels I'm using are used on Mir)). With CRV STS, Soyuz, Progress, HTV and ATV all docked, We might push 1000 parts (OG ISS + CRV is 677 parts). This symbolizes a general issues with high part counts that would manifest in converting my already quite effective space heating PC to a fireplace :P so I'll be working on getting part welding working, hopefully soon. 

Next mission coming hopefully soon :)!

These look phenominal. Where did you get the boosters in the first three pictures (I'm guessing the last image in that set is Restock or Redirect)?

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13 hours ago, Blufor878 said:

These look phenominal. Where did you get the boosters in the first three pictures (I'm guessing the last image in that set is Restock or Redirect)?

Thank you very much! The first picture is from Photon Corp. They are the standard 4 Segment Space Shuttle SRBs with the texture switched to the black casings to mimic the carbon composite cased boosters that were developed but never flown. The second and third pictures are kitbashed LRBs using Bluedog Design Bureaus Large Diameter Core Titan tanks with the SOFI texture setting (some of the best tanks in all of the KSP modding scene in my opinion :P). Then the LRBs have RS-25s from Rocket Motor Menagerie.  Hopefully this is helpful! 

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On 6/29/2022 at 1:02 PM, Kuiper_Belt said:

STS-51-A and The Ace Repo Co. touched down at Runway 15 at the Shuttle Landing Facility in Cape Canaveral Florida at 6:59 EDT, marking the last use of the MMU and no mission like its kind would ever be conducted again. The Space Shuttle would continue to service, deploy and recover satellites but would lack the majesty of floating alone in the abyss.

I loved this mission. Hopefully my own mod for the 376 can make one that looks just as good

On 8/17/2022 at 4:13 PM, pTrevTrevs said:

STS-4 :The Final Exam:

I love watching these being made

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STS-5: We Deliver!

 

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February, 1981: America's Space Shuttle is now fully operational and cleared to fly with large crews and commercial payloads. Columbia's ejection seats have been permanently safed and some of her testing instrumentation removed, freeing up precious space in the orbiter's mid-deck and lightening the spacecraft ever so slightly. Her fifth flight into space will carry the heaviest payload yet, a set of identical commercial satellites which will be deployed into geosynchronous orbits through the use of the new PAM-D solid-fueled upper stage. Also making its final flight on STS-5 is the Development Flight Instrumentation package, set to collect a final arrangement of data for improving future Shuttle flights. While considered the first "operational" mission of the space shuttle, STS-5 is in many ways yet another test flight, being used to prove many techniques and technologies necessary for the Shuttle's success as a spacecraft.

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Columbia's fifth crew is the largest to date, not just for STS, but for any spacecraft. In addition to the Commander and Pilot, the flight carries two mission specialists, trained to operate the satellite deployment hardware and the sunshades installed to protect them.

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Columbia enters a nominal 28-degree orbit with a perigee still well below stable altitude.

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The ET is jettisoned, and will reenter the atmosphere over the Indian Ocean, being destroyed in the process.

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Meanwhile, Columbia raised her own perigee to circularize her orbit. Multiple successive OMS burns will raise the orbit to the proper altitude for the coming mission.

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The mission's first day in space is spent on housekeeping and systems checks, to ensure that crewmembers who suffer from Space Adaptation Syndrome have time to adjust to the zero-G environment and operate at their best during the mission's critical activities.

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The two payloads to be deployed on this mission are SBS-3 and Anik C3, both HS-376-series satellites. This bus was introduced in 1978 and has been launched several times aboard expendable Delta-3000 boosters.

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On the second day in space, SBS-3 is uncovered and spun up to 50 RPM before being released from the sunshade.

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Once at a safe distance from the Shuttle, the Star-48/PAM-D kick motor activates and raises the satellite's apogee to a geosynchronous transfer orbit, while simultaneously lowering the spacecraft's orbital inclination by about ten degrees.

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Once at apogee, SBS-3's internal apogee kick motor fires to circularize the orbit and zero its inclination.

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SBS-3 now joins its two predecessors in providing high-speed communication across the globe.

 

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Meanwhile, Columbia alters her orbit slightly to meet requirements for the next payload. Following this, the crew takes a break.

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Two days later, it's Anik-C3's turn to fly. Like before, the satellite is spun up to 50 RPM and released.

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Following a similar flight profile to SBS-3, Anik-C3 arrives at a geostationary orbit over South America, where it will provide communications for Telesat Canada.

 

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With five days in space, the Shuttle fires its OMS pods one last time and prepares for reentry.

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The Shuttle's trademark twin sonic booms sound off above the California desert as Columbia goes subsonic prior to landing.

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STS-5 will be Columbia's final mission for some time to come. Following her post-flight inspection, she will be ferried back to KSC for a comprehensive overhaul, during which her ejection seats will be entirely removed and the rest of her testing instruments removed. Her next flight will be STS-9, scheduled to launch in early 1982 and carry the first Spacelab research module into orbit for a long-duration mission. In the meantime, NASA's newest orbiter, the Challenger, is to pick up the slack and fly Shuttle missions 6, 7, and 8 through the rest of this year.

 

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STS-6: The Upgrade:

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May, 1981: NASA's newest space shuttle orbiter, the Challenger rolls out to LC-39A for her maiden voyage. Incorporating the test data collected from the first four shuttle flights, Challenger features numerous improvements over her predecessor Columbia. Changes to her internal structure, as well as the omission of some six hundred noncritical TPS tiles and the lack of Columbia's ejection seats and testing instruments, make Challenger significantly lighter. At the same time, she is the first orbiter of the fleet to carry a heads-up display for entry and landing, a Ku-band antenna for communication with the planned TDRS satellite constellation, and uprated SSMEs capable of slightly higher thrust than the previous rating. All of these enhancements make for a considerably more capable spacecraft, a fact which will be thoroughly proven in the missions to come. Challenger's first mission is a relatively simple one: deploy the first Tracking and Data Relay Satellite into geostationary orbit, test the orbiter's airlock and the new EMU spacesuit in the payload bay, and return home. While to the general public this mission seems routine for the Shuttle, the procedures and hardware to be tested on STS-6 are crucial for the Shuttle's future. The Inertial Upper Stage is necessary to deploy large satellites such as TDRS and classified DOD payloads as well as deep space probes, and will also provide valuable practice for missions involving the upcoming Centaur-G cryogenic kick stage. The importance of EVA needs no explanation, but the certification of the EMU spacesuit and the orbiter's internal airlock must be completed before the systems can be used for any practical applications. Finally, one more advancement is to debut on this flight; a new lightweight external tank, the success of which would enable even heavier payloads to be launched aboard the space shuttle.

 

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Clear skies and gentle spring breezes greet the sleek new orbiter as she is powered up on launch day. The keen observer may notice several differences between Challenger and Columbia, the most obvious being the lack of black wing chines on the newer spacecraft. Additionally, Challenger features new markings which are to become standard for the Shuttle fleet, featuring the American flag and the letters "USA" on the port wing, the orbiter's name and the NASA Worm on the starboard wing, and the forward nametape on the crew cabin just behind the windows.

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Helicopters make one final pass around the launch pad before clearing the airspace, capturing close-up footage of the Shuttle stack in the final moments before launch.

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Shortly after noon, a thunderous roar resounds throughout the Cape, heralding the launch of a new space shuttle. There will be others.

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Challenger's guidance computer places her into the flawless insertion orbit, before firing her OMS pods twice to enter the mission's operational orbit. The ET, as usual, disintegrates while reentering the atmosphere over the Indian Ocean.

 

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The TDRS satellite and its IUS fills up most of the space in the Shuttle's payload bay, constituting the largest payload yet launched on STS.

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Challenger's new Ku-band antenna is also extended shortly after launch, although there are no relays to transmit data to just yet. 

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With all four crewmembers in good health, the TDRS deployment is moved up to the end of the first day in space. Normally, this procedure is scheduled to be performed on the second or third day to safeguard against astronauts aboard suffering from space adaptation syndrome (SAS) during critical mission phases.

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The ASE turntable raises TDRS-A up to a 45-degree angle, where it stands by for systems checks and power-up. Over the eastern Pacific, the ASE pivots to the full 58-degree position and releases its hold on the IUS. Challenger fires her jets to separate from the payload, which prepares for its burn to GTO over South America.

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Challenger is some distance away before the IUS ignites its first solid rocket motor, but the crew can still observe the orange plume in the darkness. The IUS is the most powerful solid-fueled upper stage yet developed, and was the result of a joint project between NASA and the US Air Force. IUS is designed to fly on expendable boosters such as the new Titan 34D, however its intended primary carrier is the Space Shuttle. Future Shuttle launches will use the IUS to launch deep space probes, large geostationary satellites, as well as [REDACTED] and [REDACTED] for the Air Force.

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IUS is unique from other solid kick motors in that it comes standard with three-axis stabilization and inertial guidance (uh, hence the name). This eliminates the need to violently spin up the spacecraft prior to ignition, allowing for more delicate hardware and more precise maneuvers.

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TDRS-A (now reclassified as TDRS-1) is placed into a nominal geostationary orbit over the central Pacific, from which it will provide a valuable communications link for Shuttle orbiters on approach to Edwards Air Force Base. When supplemented with additional satellites, the TDRS constellation will provide continuous coverage to manned spacecraft in LEO, opposed to the 10-20% usually achieved by ground stations and tracking ships.

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Challenger's crew is able to verify the satellite's successful deployment through the orbiter's antenna, which will be used on the next mission to relay research data back to Houston from space.

 

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One final task remains. After a rest day, the two mission specialists don the new EMU suits and climb into the airlock for the first EVA from a space shuttle.

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The Apollo-era A7LB has served valiantly as America's primary space suit for over a decade now, first flying on Apollo 15 in 1971 and seeing regular service even into the 1980s aboard the Skylab space station (see my Bluedog Design Bureau posts). As reliable as it may be, however, it comes with several notable drawbacks. The A7LB must be custom-fitted to each astronaut and is not interchangeable, and its dual purpose as an intravehicular launch/entry suit and extravehicular spacewalking suit means every astronaut to fly aboard Apollo must receive one. Its original design for lunar surface operations has also become increasingly troublesome as Skylab EVAs become more complex, and certain features of its design have become cost-prohibitive to a NASA now lacking the unchecked budgets of the 1960s. The first part of the A7LB's replacement has been flying for years now, in the form of the Launch/Entry Suit, a modified version of the partial pressure suit worn by U-2 and SR-71 pilots which protects the crew in the event of a launch abort, but which is not suitable for extravehicular work in a vacuum. The EMU, like the LES, is designed to fit any astronaut, through the use of interchangeable tops and bottoms of varying sizes. Unlike the A7LB and its predecessors, the EMU is also a hard suit, with an upper torso made from fiberglass and somewhat resembling a diving suit. Building on lessons learned from the A7LB, the EMU features a single-piece bubble helmet, a fully-self-sufficient PLSS backpack and a liquid cooling garment, eliminating the need for cumbersome umbilical hoses to supply oxygen and cooling air from the spacecraft. For safety reasons, spacewalking astronauts will continue to use nylon tethers in case they should lose their grip or footholds while working. All in all, the EMU is expected to become a worthy successor to the venerable A7LB, and pending its certification on STS-6 it will soon be provided to Skylab crews as well.

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One of the major objectives of the STS-6 spacewalk is to verify that, in the event of a failure of the ASE, a pair of spacewalking astronauts could manually raise and lower the turntable. Such a procedure was unnecessary today, but it is a welcome relief to know that it would be possible nonetheless.

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An EMU spacesuit has been carried on every shuttle flight to date, to be used in case of emergency, and a pair were even tried on during STS-5, however this is the first time the suit has been actually tested outside the cabin. The techniques verified on STS-6 will prove exceedingly useful for the objectives laid out for the upcoming STS-7 flight, scheduled to launch in August.

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The two astronauts spend over an hour moving around Challenger's payload bay performing various tasks with hand tools, the ASE turntable, and the railings running down the bay's sides. The activities last well into the orbital night, allowing the two a rare view of the lights of Australia without the restrictiveness of a spacecraft cabin.

 

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Deorbit occurs the day after the spacewalk, and puts Challenger on a new, shallower trajectory intended to make better use of the orbiter's lifting body characteristics. If flown correctly, the new entry corridor should limit G-forces and increase cross-range capability while also requiring less delta V to enter.

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The gamble pays off, and Challenger issues her first pair of sonic booms as she enters the skies over Edwards AFB.

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Challenger's wheels gently touch down on the hot tarmac, concluding the best orbiter landing yet. The new heads-up display, as well as the lighter frame of this orbiter, gives the commander and pilot much more control over their descent and glide characteristics, easing engineers' concerns over how a shuttle might perform while burdened with a large payload. Once again, another question mark resolved for STS-7.

 

Join me next time for STS-7; I... hope nobody has a fear of Spiders...

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Here we go again!

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Had the steam up on the other monitor and they just scrubbed, then got up and got something to eat. Better Safe than sorry! After 11 or so years whats a couple more days :P

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In addition to SLS in the near future I'll be posting the Skylab Power Module delivery in my Skylab mini series. 

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And Eventually I want to do a mission launching a Shuttle-Centaur mission, I'm thining an alternat history where Cassini launched on a shuttle so I can play with the Shuttle Payload Delivery Systems. 

Edited by Kuiper_Belt
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On 9/3/2022 at 9:00 AM, Kuiper_Belt said:

I'm thining an alternat history where Cassini launched on a shuttle so I can play with the Shuttle Payload Delivery Systems

I do not know exactly how or why NASA would do that but that seems like a pretty cool idea. Well tbf if NASA had a high power upperstage it makes more sense, especially if they upgraded the Centaur G as well. Makes me wonder if they'd also consider more payloads or probes for Centaur if it actually flew.

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STS-7: Saving Private Spider:

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Please enjoy this hastily-made mission insignia I bashed together in GIMP.

 

August, 1981: Two orbiters now make up NASA's space shuttle flight, with virtually all of their operational requirements tested in spaceflight save one. The ability to recover payloads from orbit and return them to earth for refurbishment and re-launch has yet to be demonstrated, but it will be necessary if the Shuttle is to perform some of its missions scheduled for 1983 and 1984. To this end, NASA has spent much of the last few years searching for a suitable payload to test the Shuttle's down-mass limits. The payload must be of significant mass, be in an orbit attainable by the Shuttle itself, and be capable of being grappled by the SRMS. Surprisingly, the list of eligible targets was rather slim, however one object stood out from the rest. Apollo 9's lunar module Spider, launched in 1969, was believed to still be in orbit after its ascent engine fired to depletion after being jettisoned from the command module, and was not expected to reenter until October of 1981. Originally shot into in a highly elliptical orbit, a decade's worth of orbital decay had reduced the spacecraft's apogee enough that a space shuttle could potentially reach and recover it. Retrieving Spider had little practical value; it was a dead, obsolete spacecraft forgotten by NASA for twelve years, however bringing it home would provide an incredible boon to public relations. The idea of having an actual flown lunar module available for public display would have been simply unthinkable during the Apollo days, but the Space Shuttle was by now no stranger to making dreams into realities. Furthermore, the opportunity for scientists and engineers to examine something which had been adrift in space for such a long time was hard to resist. In 1978, therefore, NASA's mission planning board formally approved the plan for a space shuttle to rescue LM-3 from orbit.

Originally planned for STS-2, the mission, facetiously called the "Houston Pest Control Company" around the astronaut office, was quickly pushed back once it became apparent how complex such a flight would be. Spider had not been tracked on radar since 1969, and it took NASA physicists some time to locate the vehicle in orbit and plan a rendezvous. Furthermore, the LM had never been designed with retrieval in mind and had no grappling point for the SRMS to latch onto. It would be a simple matter to construct an adapter for the Canadarm to use the spacecraft's overhead docking drogue, but part of the standard procedure for jettisoning the Apollo LM had been to leave the CSM's probe installed and sever its own connection from the Command Module. In order to free the drogue for  capture the crew of the flight would need to perform a spacewalk, something NASA was unwilling to approve on only the second shuttle flight. With added complexity came increased workload, and soon enough JSC realized that this mission was not one that could be flown by the two-person Shuttle test flights. According to conservative launch schedules, STS-7 would be the last mission to launch before Spider reentered the atmosphere, and so its original payload of two communications satellites and a West German research pallet was bumped back to STS-8, while the mission itself was moved up a month to August, 1981. Carrying a crew of five, the largest one yet, Space Shuttle Challenger roared skyward for the second time to retrieve one of her predecessors in what would prove to be the most ambitious STS flight to date...

 

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Launch delays result in Challenger launching just after sunset in late August, making for the first nighttime Shuttle launch in history.

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Infrared cameras track Challenger as she launches into the planned 32-degree orbit.

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With a flawless launch, Challenger immediately begins rendezvous operations. 

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Spider's orbit is already dipping to perilously low altitudes, which in turn limits how low the Shuttle can go to catch up with her. The result is a painfully long six-day rendezvous trajectory that gives the crew aboard little to do but photograph the Earth and review their checklists.

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Inside her payload bay Challenger carries a veritable workshop of tools and equipment needed to safely retrieve the LM. A truss near the front carries a special set of radar equipment designed to home in on the LM and provide closure data which would normally be received from the LM's own transponder. Spider's own electrical systems went dark long ago, meaning the Shuttle must acquire this data itself. A Spacelab pallet contains hand tools for securing the LM in the payload bay, the Arm/Probe adapter piece, batteries for temporarily charging the LM's systems to verify spacecraft integrity, and a diagnostics console for the spacewalking astronauts to monitor Spider's status once captured.

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Early on the seventh day of the flight, the ancient spacecraft comes into visual range, and Challenger begins to cautiously inch closer.

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As the CDR and PLT fly the Shuttle closer to the target, the mission specialist and payload specialist stand ready in the airlock, ready to emerge and get to work as soon as possible.

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While one spacewalker moved to the diagnostics station, the other carefully floats up and grabs ahold of the LM's handholds. He gingerly removes the docking probe and stows it in a storage compartment for return to Earth. This is perhaps the most dangerous maneuver of the mission, as the Shuttle must stay within five feet of the LM for the astronaut's safety. The new Manned Maneuvering Unit being designed for satellite retrieval missions of this kind is nowhere near ready, and so the spacewalkers are obliged to do this the old-fashioned way.

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As the Shuttle backs away from Spider again, the second mission specialist unberths the SRMS and connects the probe adapter to its end before positioning it above the shuttle in a steady position. Instead of trying to move the arm to the LM, the crew will try to fly the Shuttle in as if it were docking with it, keeping the arm stable and translating the Shuttle itself when necessary.

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After a few minutes the the probe connects, the the payload diagnostics console lights up as data begins trickling in.

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Ever so slowly, Spider is lowered into position above the payload bay, while the spacewalking crewmembers guide the Canadarm operator in.

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With only inches of clearance on either side, the lunar module is carefully brought into the bay and lowered onto its capture ring.

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A television camera films the procedure for Mission Control, who in turn broadcasts it to the nation.

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With Spider stabilized for the time being, the spacewalkers get to work attaching straps to further secure the spacecraft, as well as electrical and propellant lines. This operation is unbelievably delicate, as one wrong move could damage the fragile LM. One crewman later likened the performance to a fine surgical operation. The nickname stuck, and within months of STS-7's return a T-shirt design had become popular which portrayed an astronaut, wearing a surgical mask over his helmet, performing 'Rocket Surgery" on the LM with a scalpel and a wrench.

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Three of the pieces attached to Spider hold a special importance; they are propellant drain lines. Although the LM's ascent engine was fired after jettison, some residual propellant is believed to still be present inside the tanks, and after a decade in space NASA is unwilling to take chances with the toxic fuels. Both the APS and RCS on the Apollo Lunar Module were fueled by Aerozine-50 and Nitrogen Tetroxide, a pair of extremely volatile chemicals which also fuel the Space Shuttle's OMS engines. Unlike the Shuttle, however, the LM's structure is known to be horrifyingly fragile, and in order to ensure crew and vehicle safety, the ascent stage propellants are to be pumped into a pair of secure tanks in the Shuttle payload bay. The third line serves two purposes; first as an electrical connection to the EPS on the LM, and secondly as a helium drain line, in case any of the supercritical gas used to pressurize the LM's engines happens to remain in the spacecraft.

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With Spider permanently secured in the payload bay, the SRMS operator stows her adapter and prepares to rebirth the arm, while the astronauts outside continue to monitor the LM.

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Finally, the spacewalking astronauts perform a final visual inspection of the lunar module, checking for damage or unexpected oddities on the outside. At this time, the payload specialist also briefly ventures inside the LM to do the same inspection on the cabin. 

 

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After the high-pressure events of the seventh day, Mission Control authorizes a 24-hour extension to the flight so the crew can rest.

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During this time the crew continues to photograph the Earth. Thanks to Challenger's unexpected night launch, areas of South America and Australia which are not commonly seen in daylight from space are visible, providing rare opportunities to image the Andes, the Amazon (seen here), and the Australian outback.

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Late into the eighth day of flight, the Shuttle's payload bay doors are closed and the crew prepares for reentry.

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Originally planned to make the first landing at Kennedy Space Center, poor weather over Florida forces STS-7 to be redirected to the usual landing site at Edwards Air Force Base.

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Another side effect of the night launch is that Challenger is forced to make the first night landing of a Shuttle. Although nobody doubts that such a feat is possible, NASA is still eager to prove that it can be done.

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After a nominal reentry, Challenger touches down on Edwards AFB Runway 36 at 8:32 PM, local time, giving the crew just enough time to grab a celebratory beer from the local bars after debriefing.

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Once the call "Wheel stop" is heard over the air/ground loop technicians swarm the orbiter (not pictured) and perform the post-landing checks.

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Finally, in an unexpected nod to the spectators present, Challenger's payload bay doors are swung open by ground personnel to reveal Spider to her first breath of fresh air in twelve years. Photographs of the LM resting on terra firma spread like wildfire through the world's newspapers, and the spacecraft is treated to a nationwide tour with the original Apollo 9 crew and the astronauts of STS-7 who retrieved her. Spider would finally be displayed alongside the Apollo 9 command module Gumdrop at the Michigan Space and Science Center until the center closed in 2004, after which the two spacecraft were moved to the San Diego Air & Space Museum. Scientists and engineers would periodically examine her, determining which systems held up during her long exile, which ones failed, and how modern spacecraft design could benefit from Spider's experiences.

Welcome home, Challenger, and welcome home, Spider!

 

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On 9/6/2022 at 7:27 PM, pTrevTrevs said:

STS-7: Saving Private Spider:

pnrOSnS.png

Please enjoy this hastily-made mission insignia I bashed together in GIMP.

 

August, 1981: Two orbiters now make up NASA's space shuttle flight, with virtually all of their operational requirements tested in spaceflight save one. The ability to recover payloads from orbit and return them to earth for refurbishment and re-launch has yet to be demonstrated, but it will be necessary if the Shuttle is to perform some of its missions scheduled for 1983 and 1984. To this end, NASA has spent much of the last few years searching for a suitable payload to test the Shuttle's down-mass limits. The payload must be of significant mass, be in an orbit attainable by the Shuttle itself, and be capable of being grappled by the SRMS. Surprisingly, the list of eligible targets was rather slim, however one object stood out from the rest. Apollo 9's lunar module Spider, launched in 1969, was believed to still be in orbit after its ascent engine fired to depletion after being jettisoned from the command module, and was not expected to reenter until October of 1981. Originally shot into in a highly elliptical orbit, a decade's worth of orbital decay had reduced the spacecraft's apogee enough that a space shuttle could potentially reach and recover it. Retrieving Spider had little practical value; it was a dead, obsolete spacecraft forgotten by NASA for twelve years, however bringing it home would provide an incredible boon to public relations. The idea of having an actual flown lunar module available for public display would have been simply unthinkable during the Apollo days, but the Space Shuttle was by now no stranger to making dreams into realities. Furthermore, the opportunity for scientists and engineers to examine something which had been adrift in space for such a long time was hard to resist. In 1978, therefore, NASA's mission planning board formally approved the plan for a space shuttle to rescue LM-3 from orbit.

Originally planned for STS-2, the mission, facetiously called the "Houston Pest Control Company" around the astronaut office, was quickly pushed back once it became apparent how complex such a flight would be. Spider had not been tracked on radar since 1969, and it took NASA physicists some time to locate the vehicle in orbit and plan a rendezvous. Furthermore, the LM had never been designed with retrieval in mind and had no grappling point for the SRMS to latch onto. It would be a simple matter to construct an adapter for the Canadarm to use the spacecraft's overhead docking drogue, but part of the standard procedure for jettisoning the Apollo LM had been to leave the CSM's probe installed and sever its own connection from the Command Module. In order to free the drogue for  capture the crew of the flight would need to perform a spacewalk, something NASA was unwilling to approve on only the second shuttle flight. With added complexity came increased workload, and soon enough JSC realized that this mission was not one that could be flown by the two-person Shuttle test flights. According to conservative launch schedules, STS-7 would be the last mission to launch before Spider reentered the atmosphere, and so its original payload of two communications satellites and a West German research pallet was bumped back to STS-8, while the mission itself was moved up a month to August, 1981. Carrying a crew of five, the largest one yet, Space Shuttle Challenger roared skyward for the second time to retrieve one of her predecessors in what would prove to be the most ambitious STS flight to date...

 

 

 

 

This is such a cool mission man. Seeing a mission like this really roped me into this story. Hope to see more mate.

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