4/11/2024 0 Comments Space shuttle endeavour payload![]() ![]() ![]() Circling their mission patch are a group of names that are held in the highest regard above the rest however, the crew of STS-107 – the final flight of space shuttle Columbia.Įntering Endeavour’s mid-deck Travis Thompson, an engineer with United Space Alliance, greets us and begins detailing the various components. From average visitors to world leaders (the “Iron Lady” Margaret Thatcher is one that stands out) there are thousands of names lining the walls. We prepare to enter Endeavour there is a large white room that leads to the Ingress and Egress hatch. It is not everyday that one walks through history - literally. Passing by names of world leaders, astronauts and the men and women who gave the shuttle program wings for thirty years - is an incredibly humbling experience. Many of the access ports that provided access to the orbiter during the time when she flew to orbit were open and some of the plumbing that made her tick was clearly visible. On this day Endeavour’s Orbital Maneuvering System or “OMS” pods were removed, as well the Space Shuttle Main Engines or SSMEs. Large metal braces support the bay doors when they are opened on Earth as they are not designed to be open in Earth’s gravity and would buckle under their own weight. Our guide then took us down underneath the payload bay doors. Images in this presentation provided by Mike Killian and Jeffrey J. Some 60 feet in length the payload bay, many of the main elements that comprise this structure, the airlock, wiring and KU-band antenna – were all on display. She spoke with AmericaSpace about where the orbiters were currently in their decommissioning process and some of the moments that cause her to pause from her work – and realize the history and the legacy that she is striving to preserve.Īs we began touring the exterior of Endeavour, the most interesting feature was the open payload bay. I’ve chatted with Stephanie from time-to-time and interviewed her on a number of occasions. When I arrived at Orbiter Processing Facility-2 (OPF-2) I was pleased to see that NASA’s NASA Flow Director for Orbiter Transition and Retirement, Stephanie Stilson was there. Photo Credit: Mike Killian / ARES Institute Endeavour’s flight deck is a dizzying array of switches, monitors, controls and buttons that the orbiter’s various crews used to navigate the shuttle. ![]() Upon completion of the STS-134 mission in 2011 the orbiter began the process of being decommissioned and readied for her new home at the California Science Center located in Los Angeles, California. Of the three remaining space-flown space shuttles, Endeavour is the youngest, Built primarily from leftover components the orbiter was made to be a replacement for the shuttle Challenger that was lost in 1986. Not only did I get the opportunity to see one of these amazing vehicles from the inside – I got to go inside my personal favorite of the fleet – Endeavour. ![]() Up until not too long ago – the shuttles were still taking wing and it was not easy to get to sit inside one of these historic spacecraft. They assumed that this was something that I had done long ago. When I told folks that I would actually be going inside one of the space shuttles – they were surprised. ![]()
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