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"6_2_2_12_2.TXT" (3944 bytes) was created on 05-04-88
STS 61-B
The Orbiter Atlantis lifted off from Pad A, Launch Complex 39,
KSC, at 7:29 p.m. EST on November 26, 1985, the second night launch in the
Shuttle program and the second flight for Atlantis. The primary payload of
three communications satellites was successfully deployed, one at a time, and a
major demonstration of construction techniques to build structures in orbit was
successfully accomplished. This activity was filmed by an IMAX large-film
camera mounted in the cargo bay, obtaining some excellent coverage. Three
experiments located in the pressurized crew compartment were also completed,
with good data obtained. The landing was at Edwards AFB, at 4:33 p.m. EST on
December 3, 1985, after a mission duration of 6 days, 21 hrs, and 5 minutes.
The crew members were Brewster H. Shaw, Jr., commander; Bryan D. O'Connor,
pilot; Mary L. Cleave, Sherwood C. Spring and Jerry L. Ross, mission
specialists; and Rodolfo Neri Vela, Mexico, and Charles Walker, McDonnell
Douglas, payload specialists. were AUSSAT-2 and Morelos-B, in each case the
second in its series. (See missions 51-I and 51-G.) Both were Hughes HS-376
satellites equipped with a PAM-D booster to reach geosynchronous transfer
orbit. The third spacecraft was the SATCOM Ku-2, a version of the RCA 4000
series. RCA American Communications owns and operates the satellite system of
which SATCOM Ku-2 is a part. It was attached to a PAM-D2 booster, a larger
version of the PAM-D. This was the first flight of this booster stage on a
Space Shuttle.
All three spacecraft were successfully deployed, one at a time,
and their booster stages fired automatically to lift them to
geosynchronous transfer orbits. Their respective owners assumed charge, and
later fired the onboard kickmotors at apogee, to circularize the orbits and
align them with the equator.
SATCOM Ku-2 has 16 channels and operates entirely in the Ku
(14/12 GHz) range. Each channel has an output power of 45 watts and a
bandwidth of 54 MHz, enough to make reception practical on a home antenna as
small as three feet in diameter. This was the first of three spacecraft
planned to form a complete operating system. Future planned service areas are
homes that cannot receive cable television services, multi-unit residential
complexes such as condominiums and apartment houses, hotels, hospitals, and
schools; and a syndication system to deliver time-sensitive programming to
commercial broadcast television stations.
An item of major interest was EASE/ACCESS, an experiment in
assembling large structures in space. ACCESS was a 'high-rise' tower
composed of many small struts and nodes. EASE was a geometric structure shaped
like an inverted pyramid, composed of a few large beams and nodes. Together
they demonstrated the feasibility of assembling large preformed structures in
space. The IMAX camera mounted in the cargo bay filmed the activities of the
astronauts engaged in the EASE/ACCESS work, as well as other scenes of
interest.
Rudolfo Neri Vela accomplished a series of experiments,
primarily in human physiology. Charles Walker again operated the
Continuous Flow Electrophoresis System, the third flight of this larger and
improved equipment to produce commercial pharmaceutical products in
microgravity. An experiment in Diffusive Mixing of Organic Solutions, or DMOS,
was operated successfully for the 3M Company. The object is to grow single
crystals in microgravity that are larger and more pure than any that can be
grown on Earth. One Getaway Special canister in the cargo bay carried an
experiment by Canadian students to fabricate mirrors in microgravity with
higher performance than ones made on Earth.
All the experiments on this mission were successfully
accomplished, and all equipment operated within established parameters.
"6_2_2_12_3.TXT" (52651 bytes) was created on 05-04-88
61-B MISSION TO DEPLOY THREE SATELLITES, ERECT SPACE STRUCTURES
Testing concepts for erecting structures in space and the deployment of
three communications satellites will highlight mission 61-B, the 23rd Space
Shuttle flight, scheduled for launch no earlier than Nov. 26.
The 7-day mission will begin with the second night liftoff of the Shuttle
program. Launch of Atlantis from Kennedy Space Center, Fla., Pad 39A on its
second flight is planned for a 9-minute window opening at 7:29 p.m. EST.
Atlantis will be placed in an orbit inclined 28.45 degrees to the
equator. The initial orbit will be circular at an altitude of 218.5 miles.
Orbital flight will extend as high as 235 mi. for the satellite deployments.
The seven-member crew includes Brewster H. Shaw Jr., commander, and Bryan
D. O'Connor, pilot. Mission specialists are Mary L. Cleave, Sherwood C. Spring
and Jerry L. Ross. Flying as payload specialists are Mexico's Rudolfo Neri
Vela and Charles Walker of McDonnell Douglas Astronautics Co.
Highlights of the mission include deployment of Morelos-B, the second in a
series of communications satellites for Mexico. Release from the payload bay
will be initiated by mission specialist Spring on Flight Day 1.
Morelos-B is a Hughes 376 satellite, the standard design used by many
foreign nations and private companies. Morelos will provide telephone,
television and wire services to Mexico through a total of 22 transponders. A
PAM-D will boost the spacecraft to geosynchronous orbit. The satellite will be
stationed at 113.5 W. longitude, over the equator south of Phoenix, Ariz. The
first Morelos spacecraft was deployed from the orbiter Discovery in June 1985.
On Flight Day 2, another Hughes 376 satellite will be deployed for
Australia. Aussat II is the second of three operations satellites for the
government-owned Australian National Satellite System. The first Aussat was
successfully deployed from Discovery in August 1985.
The Aussat spacecraft has 11 12-watt and four 30-watt transponders to
provide domestic communications to Australia's 15-million population. The
system also will be used to improve both maritime and air traffic control
communications, relay digital data for business purposes, provide standard
telephone communications and direct satellite-to-home television broadcasts to
major cities as well as to the bush country.
The deployment of this satellite also will be primarily the task of
Spring. A PAM-D upper stage will boost the spacecraft to geosynchronous orbit.
The 4,144-pound RCA Satcom K-2 communications satellite will be ejected
from the payload bay on Flight Day 3 under the direction of mission specialist
Ross. This will be the first deployment of a spacecraft on the uprated D-2
model of the Payload Assist Module (PAM D-2).
Also aboard Atlantis for the 61-B mission is EASE/ACCESS, a combination of
two experiments designed to study an extravehiclar method of construction in
space.
The Experiment Assembly of Structures in Extravehicular Activity (EASE) is
a study of EVA dynamics and human factors in construction of structures in
space. In the orbiter's payload bay, Ross and Spring will assemble and
disassemble an inverted tetrahedron consisting of six 12-foot beams. They will
connect two of the beams to simulate Space Station construction and manipulate
the assembled beam using the foot restraint and the Remote Manipulator System.
The Assembly Concept for Construction of Erectable Space Structures
(ACCESS) experiment is a validation of ground-based timelines based on the
neutral buoyancy water simulator at the Marshall Spaceflight Center,
Huntsville, Ala. Crewmembers will manually assemble and disassemble a 45-foot
truss to evaluate concepts for assembling larger structures in space.
The McDonnell Douglas Continuous Flow Electrophoresis System (CFES) again
will be flown on mission 61-B. This mission will test the mass production
concept. Approximately 1 liter of raw hormone material will be purified over
the first 5 days of flight. Payload specialist Walker will be performing
sample evaluations throughout the flight. He will use syringe extractions for
testing, and can make adjustments as necessary. Upon return to Earth, the
material will be submitted to the Food and Drug Administration for testing.
Also being flown again is 3M Co.'s DMOS, or Diffusive Mixing of Organic
Solutions, designed to grow crystals through the combination of organic
solutions. DMOS was flown on orbiter Discovery in November 1984. Under the
supervision of Cleave, the DMOS apparatus will build six types of organic
crystals for 3M. These crystals will be larger and more pure than those grown
in a positive gravity environment.
A Getaway Special canister, holding an experiment for Telesat Canada, will
be activated by Spring from the aft flight deck for a period of about 30
minutes. Six vapor deposition tubes will create metallic deposits for
generation of crystal growth to make a mirror.
The large format IMAX movie camera is aboard Atlantis to document the
payload bay activities, including the spacewalks.
Also aboard is a handheld Linhof large format camera for photography of
Africa, particularly the areas of Ethiopia and Somalia. It will look for
surface indications that might reveal the presence of water above or below the
Earth's surface.
Mexican payload specialist Vela will conduct four experiments while in
orbit: transportation of nutrients inside bean plants, innoculation of group
bacteria viruses, germination of three seed types, including abergon, lentil
and wheat; and medical experiments which include measurements testing of
internal equilibrium, and volume change of the leg due to fluid shifts in
zero-G.
Both Vela and Walker will be testing for the rate of absorption of two
medications into the bloodstream while in space, Tylenol and Scopedex.
The Orbiter Experiment (OEX), an onboard experimental digital autopilot
software package, again will be tested on this flight. The autopilot software
can be used with the orbiter, or another space vehicle such as the Orbital
Transfer Vehicle which is under development, or even the Space Station. OEX is
designed to provide precise stationkeeping capabilities between various
vehicles operating in space.
Deorbit burn for reentry will occur on orbit 109, with landing at Edwards
Air Force Base, Calif., on orbit 110 at 6:23 p.m. EST, Dec. 3.
GENERAL INFORMATION
NASA Select Television Transmission
NASA-Select television coverage of Shuttle mission 61-B will be carried on
a full satellite transponder:
Satcom F-2R, Transponder 13, C-Band
Orbital Position: 72 degrees west longitude
Frequency: 3954.5 MHz vertical polarization
Audio Monaural: 6.8 MHz
NASA-Select video also is available at the AT&T Switching Center,
Television Operation Control in Washington, D.C., and at the following NASA
locations:
NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C.
Langley Research Center, Hampton, Va.
John F. Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala.
Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas
Dryden Flight Research Facility, Edwards, Calif.
Ames Research Center, Mountain View, Calif.
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
The schedule for television transmissions from the orbiter and for the
change-of-shift briefings from Johnson Space Center will be available during
the mission at Kennedy Space Center, Marshall Space Flight Center, Johnson
Space Center and NASA Headquarters.
The television schedule will be updated daily to reflect changes dictated
by mission operations. Television schedules also may be obtained by calling
COMSTOR (713/280-8711). COMSTOR is a computer data-base service requiring the
use of a telephone modem.
Special Note to Broadcasters
Beginning Nov. 20 and continuing throughout the mission, approximately 7
minutes of audio interview material with the crew of 61-B will be available to
broadcasters by calling 202/269- 6572.
Briefings
Flight control personnel will be on 8-hour shifts. Change-of-shift
briefings by the off-going flight director will occur at approximately 8-hour
intervals.
61-B BRIEFING SCHEDULE
TIME (EST) BRIEFING ORIGIN
T-1 Day
9:00 a.m. EASE/ACCESS KSC
9:45 a.m. Morelos-B KSC
10:15 a.m. Morelos Payload Specialist Experiments KSC
10:30 a.m. RCA Satcom K-2 KSC
11:00 a.m. Continuous Flow Electrophoresis System KSC
11:30 a.m. Diffusive Mixing of Organic Solutions KSC
12 Noon Telesat Getaway Special KSC
3:30 p.m. Pre-launch Press Conference KSC
T-Day
8:30 p.m. Post-launch Briefing KSC
Launch Through End-of-Mission
Times announced Flight Director Change-of- JSC
on NASA Select Shift Briefings.
Landing Day
8:00 p.m. Post-landing Briefing DFRF
SHUTTLE MISSION 61-B -- QUICK LOOK
CREW: Brewster H. Shaw, Jr., Commander
Bryan D. O'Connor, Pilot
Sherwood C. Spring, Mission Specialist (MS 1)
Mary L. Cleave, Mission Specialist (MS 2)
Jerry L. Ross, Mission Specialist (MS 3)
Rudolfo Neri Vela, Payload Specialist
Charles D. Walker, Payload Specialist
Orbiter: Atlantis (OV-104)
Launch Site: Pad 39-A, Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
Launch Date/Time: Nov. 26, 1985 -- 7:29 p.m. EST (00:29 GMT)
Window: 9 minutes
Orbital Inclination: 28.45 degrees
Insertion Orbit: 190 n.mi circular (direct insertion),
increasing to 204 by 196 during flight.
Mission Duration: 6 days, 22 hours, 54 minutes
Landing Date/Time: Dec. 3, 1985, 3:23 p.m. PST; (orbit 110)
Primary Landing Site: Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.
Weather Alternate: Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
CARGO AND PAYLOADS:
Deployable: Morelos-B/PAM-D
Aussat-2/PAM-D
Satcom KU-2/PAM-D2
Attached: Experimental Assembly of Structures with
EVA/Assembly Concept for Construction of
Erectable Space Structure (EASE/ACCESS).
IMAX camera
Get Away Special - Telesat Canada
Crew Compartment: Continuous Electrophoresis System (CFES)
Diffusion Mixing of Organic Solution (DMOS) Morelos
Payload Specialist Experiments
(MPSE)
Protein Characterization
HIGHLIGHTS: First Mexican Payload Specialist
First flight of the PAM-D2
Heaviest PAM Payload (Satcom)
First assembly of structure in space (EASE/ACCESS) Deploy three
satellites and stationkeeping target
61-B TRAJECTORY SEQUENCE OF EVENTS
_________________________________________________________________
TIG DELTA V POST BURN
MET (fps) Apogee/Perigee
EVENT ORBIT (D:H:M) Min-Sec (N.Mi.)
_________________________________________________________________
Launch 0:00:00
MECO 0:00:09
OMS-2 0:00:43 280 191 x 190
Morelos B Deploy 6 0:07:18 191 x 190
OMS-3 Separation 6 0:07:33 11 195 x 190
Morelos-B PMF 6D 0:08:04
Aussat-2 Deploy 17 1:00:51 195 x 190
OMS-4 Separation 17 1:01:06 11 196 x 195
Aussat-2 PMF 18A 1:01:37
Satcom-KU2 Deploy 31 1:21:28
OMS-5 Separation 31 1:21:43 14 204 x 196
Satcom-KU2 PMF 31D 1:22:14
Deorbit burn 109 6:21:53 325.2 205 x 150
Landing 110 6:22:54
SUMMARY OF MAJOR ACTIVITIES
Day 1
Ascent
Payload bay doors open
RMS checkout
Activate CFES
Morelos deployment
Begin DMOS operations
Day 2
Waste and supply water dump
Start CFES collection
Deploy Aussat-2
Checkout EMUs
Day 3
Satcom deployment
Waste and supply water dump
Advanced Automatic Autopilot Stationkeeping Test
Day 4
Supply water dump
EVA 1 for EASE/ACCESS
Deploy stationkeeping target
Advanced Automatic Autopilot Stationkeeping Test
Day 5
Waste water dump
Advanced Automatic Autopilot Stationkeeping Test
EMU maintenance and recharge
Day 6
EVA 2 with RMS -- EASE/ACCESS
Day 7
CFES deactivation
Supply and wastewater dump
Crew press conference
Cabin stowage
Day 8
Deorbit burn (orbit 110)
Landing at Edwards AFB
61-B PAYLOAD AND VEHICLE WEIGHTS SUMMARY
Pounds
Orbiter Empty 174,363
Satcom 4,245
Satcom & PAM-D 12,258
Aussat-2 4,500
Aussat-2 & PAM-D 7,634
Morelos-B 4,500
Morelos-B & PAM-D 7,582
Getaway Special 228
EASE/ACCESS 4,685
IMAX 500
CFES 791
DMOS 190
Orbiter Including Cargo at SRB Ignition 261,455
Total Vehicle at SRB Ignition 4,518,601
Orbiter Landing Weight 204,400
Cargo Arrangement
EASE/ACCESS
EASE: Experimental Assembly of Structures in
Extravehicular Activity
ACCESS: Assembly Concept for Construction of Erectable
Space Structures
The goal of the EASE/ACCESS experiments is to construct the first large
structures in space. In both experiments, crew members assemble small
components to form larger structures, just as may eventually be done to build
the Space Station.
Working in the Shuttle payload bay, astronauts will assemble the two
structures, EASE and ACCESS, during two extravehicular activities (EVAs). The
first EVA is devoted to experiments to study human performance of construction
tasks in space. The second is dedicated to supplementary experiments that
explore alternative construction techniques and practice Space Station
maintenance scenarios.
Experiment objectives are to:
* Gain valuable on-orbit construction experience;
* Compare assembly rates and techniques used in space to
those used during ground assembly tests in neutral buoyancy water tank
tests simulating the space environment;
* Identify ways to improve erectable structures to ensure productivity,
reliability and safety; and
* Evaluate Space Station assembly and maintenance concepts and techniques.
NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala., is
managing this first demonstration of microgravity construction techniques.
EASE was developed in a joint effort between Marshall and the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology. ACCESS was developed by NASA's Langley Research
Center, Hampton, Va. In preparation for this mission, these institutions have
worked together, designing the structures, developing assembly methods in
ground-based and neutral buoyancy simulations, and assisting stations. EASE is
a geometric structure that looks like an inverted pyramid and is composed of a
few large beams and nodes. Crewmembers move about during EASE assemblies,
rather than working in fixed positions.
EASE/ACCESS diagram
ACCESS
Height: Completely assembled - 45 feet
Assembly fixture - 11 ft.
The entire structure consists of 93 tubular aluminum struts 1 inch in
diameter. Thirty-three are 4.5-ft.-long struts; 60 are 6-ft.-long diagonal
struts; 33 are identical nodal joints (1 bay or cell); 9 struts are used within
and between bays; 6 struts join at one node.
EASE
Height: Completely assembled - 12 ft.
The structure consists of 6 aluminum beams, each 12 ft. long, weighing 64
lb., containing four identical nodal joints.
Assembly Equipment -- The Mission Peculiar Equipment Support Structure
(MPESS), which spans the 15-ft. width of the payload bay, serves as a work
platform and equipment carrier for the assembly experiments. Interface plates,
attached to the support structure skeleton, allow easy mounting of 4-foot
restraints and several hand restraints where astronauts can anchor themselves,
making assembly procedures safer and easier.
No tools are used for this first on-site assembly. The crewmembers "snap"
together the prefabricated components to form each structure. Both the larger
EASE beams and the smaller ACCESS struts are joined by nodes, clusters of
sockets, which are locked into place by sleeves on the ends of a beam or
strut. ACCESS nodes and struts are located in canisters mounted on the sides
and top of the support structure near astronaut work stations; EASE beams are
clamped to the front surface of the support platform, and the nodes are mounted
on top. The EASE/ACCESS support structure and other equipment occupy
approximately one-fourth of the payload bay.
Crew Activity -- The EASE/ACCESS experiments are supported by five of the
seven 61-B crew members: the commander, the pilot, and three mission
specialists. The ability to make timely, on-the-scene judgments and to provide
activity reports is central to the first orbital construction mission. Mission
specialists Ross (EV-1) and Spring (EV-2) serve as structural assembly experts
during two EVAs. They build the structures working from and around the MPESS.
A third mission specialist, Mary Cleave, operates the orbiter robot arm to
position crewmembers during some special construction tasks. Either the
commander or pilot will oversee operations and assist with data collection such
as filming activities.
Guide Rails, Batten, Diagonal, Longeron art
The first space construction walk is planned for 6-hours duration using
crew members Ross and Spring. The EVA begins with the ACCESS experiment. The
baseline experiment assembly technique requires both crew members to be
positioned in designated work areas: one stands in foot restraints at the
support structure base and the other works in similar restraints on top of the
work platform. This "assembly line in space" technique allows rapid
construction for measurements of productivity.
ACCESS Assembly Procedures:
1. Unstow assembly fixture, raise it to a vertical position,
and unfold three guiderails;
2. Remove struts and nodes from 3 stowage canisters;
3. Connect nodes and struts on assembly fixture, forming one
cell or bay;
4. Slide finished bay upward along guiderails to the top of
the assembly fixture;
5. Repeat procedure to construct 9 more bays; and
6. Disassemble by sliding bays down, removing and stowing
nodes and struts.
The second half of this EVA is devoted to the EASE experiments. To
measure learning and productivity, the structure is assembled and disassembled
repeatedly. Investigators are planning for at least six full assemblies during
the EVA. The baseline experiment techniques allow astronauts to move about
freely, using foot restraints as necessary.
EASE Assembly Procedures:
1. Unstow beams clamped to the front of the work platform;
2. Connect three vertical beams to a node attached to the
top of the work platform;
3. Connect three horizontal beams to the three vertical
beams by nodes; and
4. Repeatedly assemble and disassemble structure.
The EVA crew members can alter assembly method as necessary and will do as
many assemblies as time allows.
MFR, RMS, Flight art
EVA-2: Supplementary Experiments
To enhance the value of this mission for Space Station planning, several
additional tasks will be undertaken with both structures on a second space
construction walk involving Ross and Spring. Supplementary experiments include
manipulating the large space structures, simulating Space Station maintenance
operations, installing flexible cable and using the orbiter robot arm to assist
the astronauts during structural assembly. The second EVA begins with the
construction of nine ACCESS bays using the baseline experiment technique. One
crew member then is positioned on the manipulator foot-restraint work station
and moved around by Cleave from inside the flight deck. The manipulator work
station is outfitted with a specially designed ACCESS component carrier.
Second ACCESS Assembly Procedures:
1. Assemble first nine bays from fixed work stations mounted
to the support structure;
2. Pack component carrier with struts and nodes needed to
construct one bay; and
3. Move MFR crew member on the RMS to the top of the
existing ACCESS bay where he completes the tenth bay.
ACCESS Maintenance and Repair Tasks:
When 10 full bays are constructed, Space Station maintenance and repair
tasks scheduled to be practiced are:
1. To simulate stringing electrical cable, both crew members
will string flexible cable along the ACCESS truss framework;
2. To rehearse repair of a damaged structure, MFR crew member removes and
replaces struts and nodes;
3. To practice handling large frameworks, MFR crew member removes entire
structure from the assembly fixture and maneuvers it in the payload
bay. Structure is reattached, disassembled, and stowed.
During the second half of the EVA, EASE is constructed with
one crew member positioned in the foot restraint. The other works at the
equipment support structure base, using foot restraints as necessary.
Second EASE Assembly Procedures:
1. Unstow beams clamped to front of work platform;
2. Move MFR crew member, equipped with beams and nodes, to
the top of the EASE structure;
3. Attach three vertical beams to a node mounted on top of
the support structure; and
4. Connect three horizontal beams to three vertical beams
with nodes to complete structure.
EASE Maintenance Tasks:
1. To practice maneuvering large geometric structures, crew
members remove entire structure and move it around;
2. Crew members connect two EASE beams to form a 23.5-ft.,
130-lb. beam; and
3. To practice handling long structures in space, crew
members transport and manipulate the connected beams.
Data Collection
Careful observation of crew activities is needed to understand the human
factor elements of space construction. Aspects such as learning, productivity
and fatigue are important as well as the biomedical effects of working during
EVAs. During the EVAs, researchers from Marshall, MIT and Langley will monitor
the mission from Johnson Space Center. Video cameras located in the orbiter
payload bay and on the robot arm will be used to record images of each crew
member at work. Movie cameras mounted in the aft-flight deck windows will be
synchronized to generate a 3-D film which will be used to analyze astronaut
motions.
Following the flight, investigators will retrieve more detailed
information from the video and film. The film will be used to reconstruct
3-dimensional images of astronauts at work during the experiments to derive
body positions, equipment locations, and any difficulty in completing a task.
Planners will use mission data to construct computer models for completing
similar EVA tasks. In addition to recorded data, crew reports on activities
and tasks will be provided to investigators. The crew members' suits are
instrumented to monitor pulse rate and oxygen use so that biomedical profiles
on working in space can be obtained.
EASE/ACCESS Mission Team
George Levin, Office of Space Flight, Flight Demonstration Division is
Program Manager. Edward Valentine, Spacelab Payload Project Office, MSFC, is
mission manager.
Principal investigator for the EASE experiment is Dr. David Akin of
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. EASE is a joint development effort
between the MIT Space Systems Laboratory, Cambridge, and Marshall.
Principal investigator for the ACCESS is Walter L. (Doug) Heard at Langley
Research Center.
MORELOS COMMUNICATIONS SATELLITE
Morelos is the second of two spacecraft to be launched by the Space
Shuttle for the Secretariat of Communications and Transportation, Mexico.
Morelos will provide advanced telecommunications to the most remote parts of
Mexico: educational TV, commercial programs over the national TV network,
telephone and facsimile services and data and business transmissions.
Television programming will originate in at least 12 principal cities.
Cultural, educational and athletic events will be televised nationwide. The
Hughes Space and Communications Group is prime contractor.
Morelos is a spin-stabilized, gyrostat design with a despun antenna and
communications payload. Two cylindrical solar panels, one fixed and one
extendable, supply prime power to the spacecraft. At launch, Morelos is mated
to the PAM-D stage with the antenna reflector and aft solar panel are stowed.
The PAM-D stage supplies the necessary impulse for injection into a transfer
orbit. Shortly after separation of the spacecraft from the orbiter Discovery,
an omnidirectional antenna is deployed.
Morelos' two cylindrical solar panels telescope when the spacecraft is in
orbit. In launch position, with antenna reflector folded down, Morelos is 9
ft., 4 in. high. In orbit with panels extended and antenna erected, it is 21
ft., 8 in. high. It is 7 ft., 1 in. in diameter and weighs 1,422 lb. at the be
ginning of life in orbit. Four thrusters, using 293 lb. of hydrazine
propellant, provide orbit and attitude control during the satellite's 9-year
planned mission life.
From low-Earth orbit, the cradle's protective sunshield is opened and a
table at the base spins the satellite to 55 rpm to provide gyroscopic
stability. Four springs push the satellite into space and 45 minutes later, an
onboard sequencer fires the McDonnell Douglas payload assist module (PAM). A
Morton Thiokol Star apogee kick-motor places the satellite into a circular
synchronous orbit.
Morelos-B will not be activated once it achieves its geosynchronous
orbit. Rather, it will remain inert for a period up to 2 years, drifting
naturally to its final longitude. Near its operating position, the reflector
antenna and electronics shelf are despun and achieve close pointing accuracy.
The satellite drifts into final orbit and is placed in operating position with
onboard thrusters.
NASA has been reimbursed $10 million by the Mexican government for launch
services associated with the Morelos-B satellite.
MEXICAN PAYLOAD SPECIALIST EXPERIMENTS
Rudolpho Neri Vela will performing a series of mid-deck cabin experiments
as well as take photographs of Mexico. The experiments are:
Effects of Spatial Environment on the Reproduction and Growing of Bacteria
(REPGROW) -- Cultures of Escherichia coli B-strain bacteria will be mixed on
orbit with different baterio phages that attack the Escherichia coli and
subsequently, are observed for possible changes and photographed as required.
Transportation of Nutrients in a Weightless Environment (TRANSPORT) -- Ten
plant specimens will be planted in containers that will allow a radioactive
tracer to be released on orbit for absorption by the plants. At selected
intervals, each plant will be sectioned and the segments will be retained for
post-flight analysis to determine the rate and extent of absorption.
Electropuncture and Biocybernetics in Space (ELECTRO PUNCTURE) -- The
objective of the experiment is to validate electropuncture theories. These
theories state that disequilibrium in the behavior of human organs can be
monitored and stimulated using electric dc current in specified zones. This
experiment is performed by measuring the conductance of electricity in a
predetermined zone. If a disequilibrium is detected, exercises or stimulus
will be applied for a certain period until the value of the conductance falls
into the normal range.
Effects of Weightlessness and Light on Seed Germination (SEEDS) -- Seed
specimens of amaranth, lentel and wheat will be planted on orbit during Flight
Day 2 in two identical containers. Subsequently, one container will be exposed
to illumination and the other to constant darkness. Photographs of the
resulting sprouts will be taken every 24 hours. One day prior to landing, the
sprouts will be submitted to a metabolical detention process for subsequent
histological examination on Earth to determine the presence and localization of
starch granules.
Photography of Mexico (PHOTO) -- Post-earthquake photography of Mexico and
Mexico City.
AUSSAT-2
Aussat, the Australian national satellite communications system, will
provide a wide range of domestic services to the entire continent and its
offshore islands. This includes direct television broadcast to homesteads and
remote communities, high-quality television relays between major cities,
digital data transmission for both telecommunications and business use, voice
applications for urban and remote areas, centralized air traffic control
services and maritime radio coverage. Aussat-2 is the second in a system of
three to be operated by Australia's national satellite company, Aussat
Proprietary Ltd.
Aussat-2 uses two telescoping cylindrical solar panels and a folding
antenna for compactness during launch. After the satellite nears its orbital
position, the antenna erects and the outer solar panel deploys, exposing the
inner solar array.
Aussat's antenna system will provide seven transmit beams and three
receive beams. Five transmit beams serve the Homestead and Community
Broadcasting Satellite Service: four contiguously placed over the western,
central, northeast and southeast regions of the Australian continent and one
over Papua, New Guinea. The other two are national beams which provide
continental coverage for Fixed Satellite Service.
Aussat will carry 15 channels, each 45 MHz wide. Four will use
high-power, 30-watt traveling wave tube amplifiers (TWTAs) to provide radio and
television services to Australia's remote areas. The remaining 11 channels
will operate with 12-watt TWTAs. It will be possible to connect the
communications channels individually to the transmit beams by ground command.
This arrangement will provide traffic flexibility for the system.
The satellite's diameter is nearly 7.2 ft. Stowed for launch its height
is 9.2 ft. In orbit, with antennas deployed and aft solar panel extended, the
height will increase to 71 ft. Its initial on-station weight will be about
1,322 lb.
The Aussat satellites, with a mission life of 7 years, will operate at the
14/12 GHz Ku-band. Two spacecraft will be located above the equator just north
of Papua, New Guinea, at 156 degrees and 164 degrees east longitude. The third
satellite will be located at 160 degrees east longitude.
The master control station for the Aussat system will be in Sydney and
backup control equipment will be installed in Perth. Monitoring equipment will
be installed at Earth stations in Sydney, Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide.
Hughes Space and Communications Group built the three satellites and two
telemetry, tracking, command and monitoring stations.
NASA has been reimbursed $9.5 million by the Australian government for
launch services associated with the Aussat-2.
RCA SATCOM K-2
Two of a planned fleet of three communications satellites,
operating in the Ku-band part of the spectrum, will be launched for RCA
American Communications, Inc., in 1985. The third is scheduled for launch in
1987.
Each of the spacecraft, designated Satcom K-1, K-2 and K-3, will have 16
channels operating at 54 MHz usable bandwidth while providing coverage of the
continental 48 states. The spacecraft are designed to provide coverage to the
continental 48 states, or to either the eastern half or western half.
The first of the series to be launched is Satcom K-2, on STS 61-B, which
has been assigned an orbital position of 81 degrees west longitude. Satcom
K-1, assigned an orbital position of 85 degrees west longitude, is to be
orbited aboard the Shuttle Columbia on Dec. 18.
The three-axis stabilized spacecraft are equipped with power, attitude
control, thermal control, propulsion, structure, and command ranging and
telemetry systems necessary to support mission operations from launch vehicle
separation through 10 years of operational life in geosynchronous orbit.
This new generation of spacecraft carries 45-watt transponders, which
permits the use of Earth station antennas as small as 3 ft. in diameter.
Because Ku-band frequencies are not shared with terrestrial microwave systems,
antennas served by the satellites can be located within major metropolitan
areas characterized by heavy terrestrial microwave traffic.
Following the launch of Satcom K-2, it will be placed into a 23,000-mi.
geosynchronous orbit. After this, the 280-square-foot solar panels will deploy
from the 67-by-84-by-60-in. main spacecraft structure. The spacecraft then
will be tested for in-orbit operation and locked into its orbital slot of 81
degrees W longitude.
The spacecraft main structure contains all electronic boxes, batteries,
propulsion and attitude control equipment on eight honeycomb panels. Including
the antenna feedhorn tower, the maximum spacecraft main body height is 98 in.
Transponders and housekeeping components are mounted on four panels, two each
on the "north" and "south" sides of the spacecraft.
Additional housekeeping equipment is mounted on a base panel, facing away
from the Earth. The Earth-facing panel provides a mounting surface for the
communication antenna reflector with its component feed assembly, a command and
telemetry antenna and the Earth sensors for attitude control.
The Satcom Ku-band communications capability is provided by 16 45-watt
traveling wave tube amplifiers for each of the 16 channels and six traveling
wave tube amplifiers for redundancy. The 16 channels are set up in two groups
of eight, each group contains three spare amplifier tubes. Each of the 16
channels uses active frequency and polarization interleaving to permit the
simultaneous use of each. The channels have a usable bandwidth of 54 MHz.
The spacecraft is controlled in geosynchronous orbit by a high speed
momentum wheel which has active speed control and wheel-axis roll trim.
Momentum damping is provided by onboard magnetic torquers with backup provided
by onboard reaction control system hydrazine thrusters.
Main spacecraft power comes from the deployed solar array with three
battery systems providing backup power.
Satcom K-2, owned and operated by RCA American Communications (RCA
Americom), is one of three Ku-band domestic communications satellites operating
in the 12 to 14 gigahertz range. There are 16 operational transponders and six
spares, each transmitting 45 watts of power, more than the 12 to 30 watts used
for C-band transponders.
RCA Satcom Ku-2 is a version of the RCA 4000 three-axis, stabilized
spacecraft, similar in appearance to the ASC-1 satellite deployed from
Discovery in August 1985. It will provide television programming in three
ways:
* Satellite Master Antenna Television (SMATV) will provide
entertainment and educational services. Receiver antennas will be
installed at multi-unit residential complexes such as condominiums and
apartments, hotels, hospitals and schools.
* Direct-to-Home services will distribute a wide range of programming
choices to homes far removed from cable systems or standard over-the-air
television stations.
* The Syndication System will deliver time-sensitive programming to
commercial broadcast television stations.
PAM D-2
The PAM D-2 is instrumented with radio frequency telemetry which will
downlink data to tracking aircraft during the burn of the solid rocket motor, a
mission requirement for the first flight of a PAM-D2. This uprated, upper
stage is identical to the PAM-D, except for size and weight. The spin-up will
be noticeably slower due to the larger mass and inertial components of the
payload. PAM-D2 is designed to lift up to 4,200 lb. to geosynchronous orbit,
compared to the 2,800-lb. PAM-D version.
Top (North) of Spacecraft
RCA AMERICOM Ku-BAND SPACECRAFT
DIFFUSIVE MIXING OF ORGANIC SOLUTIONS
The Diffusive Mixing of Organic Solutions (DMOS-2) experiment is intended
to grow organic crystals in near-zero gravity. 3M scientists hope to produce
single crystals that are purer and larger than those available on Earth and
will study their optical and electrical properties. DMOS experiments also will
include an investigation into the process of fluid mixing within the DMOS
cells.
One of the potential applications, of the crystals 3M is growing, is
making optical devices comparable to electronic devices, though much faster.
Possible uses include optical switches and computers that process information
with light instead of electricity.
The DMOS-2 experiment will be flown in six football-size chemical reactors
carried in the mid-deck area. The reactors, or cells, are housed in the
Experimental Apparatus Container supplied by NASA.
Each cell consists of three chambers into which organic liquids will be
loaded. In space, valves between the chambers will be opened and the liquids
allowed to mix.
The experiment will be controlled by the Generic Electronic Module (GEM),
a bubble-memory computer about the size of a hatbox that also was used
successfully to operate 3M's two previous space experiments (DMOS-1 and
Physical Vapor Transport of Organic Solids). The GEM has a hand-held keyboard
display that lets the crew control the experiment.
The hardware for DMOS-2 is similar in size and function to that of
DMOS-1. However, the new hardware is of modular construction and includes a
quick-change cell installation feature, larger loading holes for chemicals, a
more positive valve-opening assembly that uses a lever instead of the
cam-and-roller of DMOS- 1 and electronics mounted on each cell instead of on a
single control board.
Dr. Marc Radcliffe, a chemist with 3M, is principal investigator and Dr.
Earl Cook, a 3M physicist, is co-investigator.
Two of the cells are devoted to a study of the physics of the mixing
process. One cell uses a yellow and blue dye with light density methanol in
the middle chamber and the other cell uses a red dye in the middle with heavier
density heptane in the end chambers. These will help explore variations in
mixing based on density differences.
DMOS ART
Of the four crystal growth experiments, two are devoted to studies of the
molecular growth and ordering under near ideal conditions in space and the
other two examine the way crystals pack together and how this packing affects
their electro-optical properties. One of the crystal growing experiments uses
cyanine tosylate and triethylammonium oxonol in chloroform. The other crystal
growth and both crystal packing experiments use proprietary chemicals.
All six cells will be activated just prior to the first sleep period and
will remain active throughout the flight. An hour prior to landing, the two
fluid-mixing cells will be closed so that entry forces don't change the dye
concentrations. In the crystal experiments, the valves between cell chambers
will be left open to insure no damage to crystals which may have been growing
in the valve area.
GETAWAY SPECIAL EXPERIMENT
(Telesat of Canada)
To stimulate Canadian student interest in the space program, Telesat
sponsored a national competition soliciting science experiments from high
school students throughout Canada. The contest resulted in 72 entries from
nearly 300 Canadian students. After screening by Telesat Canada and Canadian
National Research Council scientists, seven finalists were selected for judging
by a panel which included Dr. Stuart Smith, chairman of the Science Council of
Canada, Dr. Alphonse Ouimet, a member of the Telesat Board of Directors and Dr.
Jeff Hoffman, NASA astronaut.
The panel selected the experiment submitted by Daniel Rey and
Jean-Francois Deschenes of the Ecole Secondaire Charlebois, Ottawa, Ontario.
Their experiment, entitled "Towards a Better Mirror," proposed to fabricate
mirrors in space that would provide higher performance than similar mirrors
made here on Earth.
On Earth, oxidation lowers the reflectivity of mirrors as air interacts
with the metal used in mirror production. The experiment uses vapor
deposition. The experiment assembly is built on an aluminum T-beam support
structure which holds six vapor deposition tubes. The products of the
experiment will be tested post-flight using a number of sophisticated optical
techniques to determine precise measurements of the on-orbit coating process.
These measurements will be used to compare the space-made mirrors with control
mirrors made on Earth during the flight.
GETAWAY SPECIAL EXPERIMENT
"Towards A Better Mirror"
Experimental Cylinder
PROTEIN CRYSTAL GROWTH EXPERIMENT
The handheld Protein Crystal Growth Experiment, conducted by payload
specialist Walker, it is one of a series of experiments being flown to study
the possibility of crystallizing biological materials such as hormones, enzymes
and other proteins. Successful crystallization of these materials, which are
very difficult to crystallize on Earth, will allow their three-dimensional
atomic structure to be determined by X-ray crystallography. Knowledge of the
atomic structure hopefully will lead to a capability to develop pharmaceuticals
to enhance or inhibit the protein's function in a rational manner.
The experiment consists of two vapor diffusion crystal growth units and
one dialysis growth unit. Each vapor diffusion unit is 3 in. wide, 14 in. long
and 1/2 in. thick and contains 24 small crystal growth chambers. Each of the
48 chambers is equipped with a porous liner saturated with a precipitating
agent such as alcohol or saline solution. A small drop of protein solution
will be injected into each chamber shortly after entering orbit.
Up to six of the growth chambers will be "seeded" by injecting a
microscopic particle crystallized protein into the droplet to form a nucleus
for a larger crystal.
The dialysis unit is a block of Lexan (about 1 by 1 in. and 1/2 by 5 in.)
with an internal cylindrical cavity containing small glass ampoules of
precipitating solution suspended in water. Also suspended in the cavity are
three small dialysis buttons activated by shaking the unit, causing the fragile
glass ampoules to break, and releasing the precipitating agent to mix with the
water. The proteins in the dialysis buttons are then crystallized through
dialysis.
After activation and photography, the units are stowed to allow
crystallization to proceed in a vibration-free, gravity-free environment. At
the end of the mission, the units are photographed again and prepared for
entry, landing and removal.
CONTINUOUS FLOW ELECTROPHORESIS EXPERIMENT (CFES)
The McDonnell Douglas continuous flow electrophoresis device will make its
seventh trip into space aboard Atlantis on flight 61-B. The objective of this
mission is to separate a sufficient quantity of biological material for animal
and clinical testing of a breakthrough pharmaceutical.
Charles D. Walker, McDonnell Douglas engineer and payload specialist, will
monitor the operation of this machine and conduct biological assays. This is
Walker's third flight as payload specialist.
CFES art
The continuous flow electrophoresis device will operate for about 175
hours during the 7-day mission. It is expected that about 66 hours of
processing time will be necessary to purify the approximately 1 quart of
concentrated protein material on board.
To ensure that the desired hormone is being separated and collected within
the fluid modules, once each day Walker will run a test on a sample of material
taken from the collection streams. Using assay material carried on board
separately, he will test for hormone presence in the fluid.
Walker will test daily for the presence of contamination. These tests
will be made by withdrawing small samples of fluid from five locations and
incubating them in vials previously loaded with freeze-dried reactants.
Post-flight results from mission 51-D in April 1985 showed that preflight
levels of cleanliness were maintained.
After separation of the biological material is complete, Walker will
reconfigure the CFES device to permit additional research on the effects that
varying sample concentrations have on the efficiency of the process. Several
samples of differing concentrations will be tested to determine the optimum
concentration ratio of sample to buffer.
IMAX
The IMAX project is a cooperative effort between the Canadian IMAX company
and NASA. The system uses a specially designed 70mm film camera to record
color motion images on specially sprocketed film. During this flight, the IMAX
camera will be used to document payload bay activities associated with the
EASE/ACCESS assembly during the two planned space construction walks.
The camera is mounted in the payload bay in a pressure-sealed container
with a viewing window. The window has a sliding door which opens when the
camera is in operation. The camera is controlled from the aft-flight deck,
exposing the film through a 30mm fisheye lens.
IMAX cameras flew on STS missions 41-C, 41-D and 41-G to document payload
bay and orbiter mid-deck and flight-deck crew activities along with spectacular
views of space and the Earth. Film from those missions is included in the IMAX
production "The Dream is Alive."
61-B FLIGHT CREW
BREWSTER H. SHAW JR., Lieutenant Colonel, USAF, is mission commander.
Born May 16, 1945, in Cass City, Mich., he became a NASA astronaut in 1978.
Shaw received bachelor and master of science degrees in engineering
mechanics from the University of Wisconsin at Madison. He entered the Air
Force in 1969 and received his wings in 1970. He served as an F-100 combat
fighter pilot at Phan Rang Air Base, Vietnam, and an F-4 fighter pilot in
Thailand. He has logged more than 4,200 hours in some 30 types of aircraft,
including 644 combat hours in F-100 and F-4 fighters.
Shaw was pilot of STS-9 (Spacelab 1), launched in 1983.
BRYAN D. O'CONNOR, Lieutenant Colonel, USMC, is 61-B pilot. He was born
Sept. 6, 1946, in Orange, Calif., and became a NASA astronaut in 1980.
O'Connor received a bachelor of science degree in engineering from the
U.S. Naval Academy and master of science in aeronautical systems from the
University of West Florida.
A graduate of the U.S. Navy Test Pilot School, he participated in
evaluations of various conventional and VSTOL aircraft. He was Naval Air Test
Center program manager for all AV-8 Harrier projects, including the first Navy
preliminary evaluation of the YAV-8B advanced Harrier prototype. He has more
than 3,000 hours flying time, including 2,700 in jet aircraft.
SHERWOOD C. SPRING, Lieutenant Colonel, USA, is one of three mission
specialists on 61-B. He was born Sept. 3, 1944, in Hartford, Conn., and became
a NASA astronaut in 1980.
Spring received a bachelor of science degree in general engineering at the
U.S. Military Academy and master of science in aerospace engineering from the
University of Arizona.
Following graduation from West Point, he served in Vietnam with the 101st
Airborne Division and later as a pilot with the 1st Cavalry Division. He
worked 3-1/2 years as experimental test pilot and project officer on prototype
rotary-wing and fixed-wing aircraft and served as operations officer for the
19th Aviation Battalion in Pyontaek, Korea. He has military and civilian
experience in 25 types of airplanes and helicopters and has logged over 3,000
hours, including more than 700 in jets.
MARY L. CLEAVE, Ph.D., is a mission specialist. Born Feb. 5, 1947, in
Southhampton, N.Y., she became a NASA astronaut in 1980.
Cleave received a bachelor of science degree in biological sciences from
Colorado State University, a master of science in microbialecology, and
doctorate in civil and environmental engineering from Utah State University.
At Utah State, she held graduate research, research phycologist and
research engineer assignments in the Ecology Center and Utah Water Research
Laboratory. Her technical assignments at NASA include work at the Shuttle
Avionics Integration Laboratory and as CAPCOM on five Space Shuttle flights.
She also worked on the malfunctions procedures book and crew equipment design.
JERRY L. ROSS, Major, USAF, is a mission specialist. Born Jan. 20, 1948,
in Crown Point, Ind., he became a NASA astronaut in 1980.
Ross received bachelor of science and master of science degrees in
mechanical engineering from Purdue University. He entered active duty with the
Air Force and conducted computer-aided design studies on ramjet and mixed cycle
propulsion systems and served as project engineer for captive tests of a
supersonic ramjet missile using a rocket sled track.
As chief B-1 flight test engineer, he was responsible for training and
supervising all Air Force B-1 flight test engineer crewmembers and performing
the mission planning for the B-1 offensive avionics test aircraft. Ross has
flown in 19 types of aircraft, has a private pilot's license and has logged
more than 920 hours.
RUDOLFO NERI VELA, Ph.D., is one of two payload specialists. He was born
Feb. 19, 1952, in Chilpancingo, Gro., Mexico.
Vela received a bachelor's degree in mechanical and electronic engineering
from the University of Mexico; studied the master's program in science,
specializing in telecommunications systems, at the University of Essex,
England; and received a doctoral degree in electromagnetic radiation from the
University of Birmingham, England, where he also did postdoctoral research in
waveguides.
Vela has conducted research and system planning on antennas and satellite
communications systems at the Institute of Electrical Research, Mexico. He
also headed the department of Planning and Engineering of the Morelos Satellite
Program at the Mexican Ministry of Communications and Transportation. He is a
post graduate lecturer and researcher at the University of Mexico on antenna
theory and design, satellite communications systems and Earth station
technology.
CHARLES DAVID WALKER is a payload specialist. Born Aug. 29, 1948, in
Bedford, Ind., he is chief test engineer for the McDonnell Douglas
Electrophoresis Operations in Space (EOS) project.
Walker received a bachelor of science degree in aeronautical and
astronautical engineering from Purdue University. He flew on missions 41-D and
51-D with the EOS middeck payload.
As payload specialist, Walker will operate the materials processing device
developed by McDonnell Douglas as part of its Electrophoresis Operations in
Space project, which is aimed at separating large quantities of biological
materials in space for ultimate use in new pharmaceuticals.