|
Kennedy Space Center– August 3, 2005 – Easing two pieces of fabric from between the tiles on Discovery’s heat shield this morning, EAA member Steve Robinson successfully completed an emergency repair procedure.
The pieces of fabric are gap fillers, which serve to keep the tiles from banging together during the launch. The fabric is no longer needed for this mission however, because air flows differently across the vehicle as the Shuttle re-enters Earth’s atmosphere.
The 24,300 glass-coated tiles that protect Discovery are in place to withstand the intense temperatures that the shuttle will experience when returning to Earth. These tiles are very delicate, making Robinson’s mission a tricky one.
Robinson, 220 miles above the earth, was attached by his feet to a robotic arm being maneuvered by other members of the crew. The arm, 58 feet in length, kept Robinson secure, as he had to gently extract the pieces of ceramic fiber fillers. NASA officials were concerned that if left in place, the fabric strips could cause overheating on re-entry.
Officials thought the first of the two pieces of fabric may still be partly glued in place and would therefore be difficult to remove. So in true astronaut (and EAA) fashion, Robinson improvised to create a saw-like tool while in orbit to help him if necessary. It however took him only seconds to remove the fabric and he did not need to use the homebuilt device.
Robinson’s partner for the space walk, Soichi Noguchi, was attentive and ready to speak with the rest of the crew on Robinson’s behalf in case his system of communication malfunctioned.
This fix was a success and not the first concern this crew has been faced with. When launched, cameras showed debris falling from the Shuttle, which was later determined to be some of the same type of tile that Robinson had to maneuver around today. Heat tiles have come off of other shuttles in the past and the missions have safely returned home.
When the emergency repair was completed, Mission Control sent Discovery’s crew a message stating, “You guys did a great job. Congratulations.”
Additional Links:
Meet STS-114 Crewmember Steve Robinson
NASA Human Space Flight
Shuttle Mission Images
www.nasa.gov/returntoflight
|
|
In a picture from the International Space Station, the two problematic gap fillers can be seen.
Steve positioned on the end of the robotic arm for today’s mission.
The “homebuilt” tool Steve Robinson created to remove fabric strips from the shuttle’s heat tile system.
STS-114 astronauts (from left) Steve Robinson, Jim Kelly, Andy Thomas, Wendy Lawrence, Charlie Camarda, Eileen Collins and Soichi Noguchi.
The official STS-114 Crew Patch
|
Become a Volunteer | Volunteer Recognition | Program News | Resources | World's Largest Logbook
PRINTER
FRIENDLY
Privacy Policy 
