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Student Astronaut Challenge 2018 > Chapter 1 - Space Shuttle Overview > Flashcards

Chapter 1 - Space Shuttle Overview Flashcards

1
Q

What does the following acronym stand for?

NASA

A

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

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2
Q

What does the following acronym stand for?

STS

A

Space Transportation System

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3
Q

What does the following acronym stand for?

SRB

A

Solid Rocket Booster

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4
Q

What does the following acronym stand for?

ET

A

External Fuel Tank

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5
Q

What does the following acronym stand for?

OMS

A

Orbital Maneuvering System

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6
Q

What does the following acronym stand for?

RCS

A

Reaction Control System

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7
Q

What does the following acronym stand for?

RMS

A

Remote Manipulator System

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8
Q

What does the following acronym stand for?

ESA

A

European Space Agency

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9
Q

What does the following acronym stand for?

GPS

A

Global Positioning System

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10
Q

What does the following acronym stand for?

MEDS

A

Multifunction Electronic Display Subsystem

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11
Q

What does the following acronym stand for?

RCC

A

Reinforced Carbon -Carbon

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12
Q

What does the following acronym stand for?

SSME

A

Space Shuttle Main Engine

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13
Q

What does the following acronym stand for?

APU

A

Auxiliary Power Unit

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14
Q

What does the following acronym stand for?

RSLS

A

Redundant Set Launch Sequencer

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15
Q

What does the following acronym stand for?

RTLS

A

Return to Launch Site

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16
Q

What does the following acronym stand for?

KSC

A

Kennedy Space Center

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17
Q

What does the following acronym stand for?

TAL

A

Transoceanic Abort Landing

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18
Q

What does the following acronym stand for?

MECO

A

Main Engine Cutoff

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19
Q

What does the following acronym stand for?

AOA

A

Abort Once Around

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20
Q

What does the following acronym stand for?

ATO

A

Abort to Orbit

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21
Q

What does the following acronym stand for?

CAPCOM

A

Capsule Communicator

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22
Q

What is the wing span of the space shuttle?

A

23.79 m / 78.06 ft.

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23
Q

What is the length of the space shuttle?

A

37.24 m / 122.17 ft.

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24
Q

What is the height of the space shuttle?

A

17.25 m / 56.58 ft.

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25
Q

What is the tread width of the space shuttle?

A

6.91 m / 22.67 ft.

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26
Q

What is the gross take off weight?

A

Variable

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27
Q

What is the gross landing weight?

A

Variable

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28
Q

What is the inert weight (approx) of the space shuttle?

A

74,844 kg / 165,000 lb

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29
Q

What is the minimum ground clearance for the Body Flap (aft end)?

A

3.68 m / 12.07 ft.

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30
Q

What is the minimum ground clearance for the Main Gear (door)?

A

0.87 m / 2.85 ft.

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31
Q

What is the minimum ground clearance for the Nose Gear (door)?

A

0.90 m / 2.95 ft.

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32
Q

What is the minimum ground clearance for the Wingtip?

A

3.63 m / 11.92 ft.

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33
Q

Name 2 advantages of the space shuttle?

A
  • reusable spacecraft - could carry large satellites to & from orbit
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34
Q

What are the 9 sections of the Shuttle Orbiter structure?

A
  1. Forward Fuselage 2. Forward Reaction Control System Module 3. Mid-Fuselage 4. Payload Bay Doors 5. Aft Fuselage 6. Vertical Tail 7. & 8. Two Orbital Maneuvering Systems/ Reaction Control Modules 9. Wing
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35
Q

What was the first space shuttle orbiter delivered to NASA, and when?

A

Columbia, March 1979

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36
Q

What are the names of the 6 space shuttle orbiters?

A
  • Enterprise - Columbia - Challenger - Atlantis - Discovery - Endeavor
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37
Q

Which space shuttle never flew in space?

A

Enterprise

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38
Q

How long is a typical space shuttle mission?

A

7-8 days

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39
Q

What is the longest amount of time a space shuttle mission can last?

A

14 days

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40
Q

How much does the shuttle weigh, fully fueled?

A

4.5 million-pound / 2.05 million kg

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41
Q

How far above Earth is the shuttle orbit range?

A

115 - 400 miles / 185 - 643 km

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42
Q

What components are used to lift the shuttle into orbit?

A
  • 2 shuttle rocket boosters (SRB) - 3 main engines of the orbiter - the external fuel tank (ET) - orbital maneuvering system (OMS) on the orbiter
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43
Q

What percentage of force or thrust do the SRBs provide to lift the space shuttle off the launch pad?

A

71%

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44
Q

What supports the entire weight of the space shuttle orbiter & the fuel tank on the launch pad?

A

Shuttle Rocket Boosters (SRBs)

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45
Q

What are the 9 parts of the SRBs?

A
  • solid rocket motor - solid propellant fuel - jointed structure - synthetic rubber O-rings & joints - flight instruments - recovery systems: parachutes, floatation devices, signaling devices - explosive charges for separating from the external tank - thrust control systems - self-destruct mechanism
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46
Q

Can the SRBs be shut down once they are ignited?

A

No, because they are solid rocket engines.

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47
Q

What is the last component to light at the time of launch?

A

Solid Rocket Boosters (SRBs)

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48
Q

What is the length of the solid rocket booster?

A

149.16 ft / 45.46 m

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49
Q

What is the diameter of the solid rocket booster?

A

12.17 ft. / 3.70 m

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50
Q

How many main engines does the orbiter have?

A

3

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51
Q

Where on the orbiter are the main engines located?

A

aft (back) fuselage)

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52
Q

How much do each shuttle engine weigh?

A

6,700 lb / 3039 kg

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53
Q

How much thrust do the main engines provide to lift the shuttle off the launch pad & into orbit?

A

29%

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54
Q

What fuel do the main engines burn?

A

liquid hydrogen & liquid oxygen

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55
Q

Where is the fuel for the main engines stored?

A

in the external fuel tank (ET)

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56
Q

How much thrust can each engine produce?

A

between 375,000 & 470,000 lbs

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57
Q

What are gimbals?

A

Round bearings that the control the direction of the exhaust.

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58
Q

What are the engines mounted on?

A

gimbals

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59
Q

What does the direction of the exhaust control?

A

the forward direction of the rocket

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60
Q

When empty, how much does the ET weight?

A

78,000 lb / 35,455 kg

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61
Q

How much propellant does the ET hold?

A

1.6 million lb / 719,000 kg

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62
Q

What is the ET made of?

A

aluminum and aluminum composite materials

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63
Q

How many tanks are inside the ET?

A

2

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64
Q

What does the forward tank in the ET hold?

A

oxygen

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65
Q

What does the aft tank in the ET hold?

A

hydrogen

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66
Q

What separates the two tanks in the ET?

A

inter-tank region

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67
Q

What covers the ET?

A

a 1-inch thick layer of spray-on polyisocyanurate foam insulation

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68
Q

What does the insulation on the ET do?

A
  • keeps the fuel cold - protects fuel from heat buildup - minimizes ice formation
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69
Q

What caused the shuttle Columbia to break up upon re-entry?

A

Pieces of foam on the ET broke off during take off & damaged the left wing of the orbiter

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70
Q

Where are the two orbital maneuvering systems’ (OMS) engines located?

A

on the aft section of the orbiter, one on each side of the tail

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71
Q

What do the OMS engines do?

A
  • place the shuttle into final orbit - change the shuttle’s position from one orbit to another - slow the shuttle down for re-entry
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72
Q

What do the OMS engines burn?

A

monomethyl hydrazine fuel & nitrogen tetroxide oxidizer

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73
Q

What gas pressurizes the tanks holding the fuel & the oxidizer in the OMS engines?

A

helium

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74
Q

In each fuel line in the OMS, there are 2 solenoid valves that close the lines. What opens these valves?

A

pressurized nitrogen gas from a small tank near the engine

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75
Q

When the OMS valves are opened, what happens?

A

allows the fuel and oxidizer to flow into the combustion chamber of the engine

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76
Q

How are unwanted explosions / accidents prevented in the OMS engines?

A

After the OMS engines are shut off, nitrogen gas goes from the valves to the fuel lines to flush the lines of any remaining fuel & oxidizer

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77
Q

During a single flight, there is enough nitrogen to open the valves in the OMS engines & purge the lines how many times?

A

10

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78
Q

Do both of the OMS engines have to fire at the same time?

A

no

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79
Q

How much thrust can each OMS engine produce?

A

6,000 lbs / 26,400 N

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80
Q

What is the acceleration rate attributed by both of the OMS engines?

A

2 ft/s^2

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81
Q

How many times can the OMS engines start and stop?

A

1,000

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82
Q

What is the total hours of burn time for the OMS engines?

A

15 hours

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83
Q

What happens at the following time, relative to launch?

T minus 31 s

A

onboard computers take over the launch sequence

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84
Q

What happens at the following time, relative to launch?

T minus 6.6 s

A
  • shuttle’s main engines ignite one at a time - main engines build up to more than 90% of max thrust
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85
Q

How far apart, in time, do the main engines ignite?

A

0.12 s

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86
Q

What happens at the following time, relative to launch?

T minus 3 s

A

shuttle main engines are in lift-off position

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87
Q

What happens at the following time, relative to launch?

T minus 0 s

A

the SRBs are ignited, and the shuttle lifts off the pad

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88
Q

What happens at the following time, relative to launch?

T plus 20 s

A

the shuttle rolls right (180-degree roll, 78-degree pitch)

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89
Q

What happens at the following time, relative to launch?

T plus 60 s

A

shuttle engines are at max throttle

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90
Q

What happens at the following time, relative to launch?

T plus 2 min

A
  • SRBs separate from the orbiter & fuel tank - main engines continue firing - parachutes deploy from SRBs
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91
Q

At what altitude do the SRBs separate from the orbiter & fuel tank?

A

28 miles

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92
Q

Where do SRBs land after separation?

A

in the ocean ab out 140 miles off the FL coast

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93
Q

How are the SRBs recovered from the ocean?

A

Ships recover them & tow them back to Cape Canaveral from processing and re-use

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94
Q

What happens at the following time, relative to launch?

T plus 7.7 min

A

main engines throttle down to keep acceleration below 3g’s

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95
Q

Why must the acceleration of the orbiter remain below 3g’s during take off?

A

to keep the shuttle from breaking apart

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96
Q

What happens at the following time, relative to launch?

T plus 8.5 min

A

main engine shut down

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97
Q

What happens at the following time, relative to launch?

T plus 9 min

A

ET separates from the orbiter

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98
Q

What happens to the ET after it separates from the orbiter?

A

burns up on re-entry

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99
Q

What happens at the following time, relative to launch?

T plus 10.5 min

A

OMS engines fire to place the shuttle in a low orbit

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100
Q

What happens at the following time, relative to launch?

T plus 45 min

A

OMS engines fire to place the shuttle in a higher, circular orbit

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101
Q

What is the distance from earth of the higher, circular orbit?

A

about 250 miles / 400 km

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102
Q

How long can the astronauts live in the shuttle orbiter in space?

A

7-14 days

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103
Q

Why is the opening of the cargo bay doors one of the first things the commander of the shuttle will do?

A

to cool the orbiter

104
Q

In what part of the orbiter do the astronauts live?

A

crew compartment

105
Q

What part of the orbiter contains support equipment (fuel cells, gas tanks) for the crew compartment?

A

forward fuselage

106
Q

What part of the orbiter contains forward rocket jets for turning the orbiter in various directions?

A

forward reaction control system (RCS) module

107
Q

What part of the orbiter is used for spacewalks and can be placed inside the crew compartment or inside the cargo bay?

A

movable airlock

108
Q

What part of the orbiter contains essential parts (gas tanks, wiring, etc.) to connect the crew compartment with the aft engines; forms the floor of the cargo bay?

A

mid-fuselage

109
Q

What part of the orbiter is the roof of the cargo bay and is essential for cooling the orbiter?

A

cargo bay doors

110
Q

What part of the orbiter is located in the cargo bay, moves large pieces of equipment in and out of the cargo bay, and is a platform for spacewalking astronauts?

A

remote manipulator arm

111
Q

What part of the orbiter contains the main engines?

A

aft fuselage

112
Q

What part of the orbiter contains the orbital maneuvering engines and the aft RCS module; turns the orbiter; changes orbits?

A

OMS/RCS pods

113
Q

How many OMS / RCS pods are on the orbiter?

A

2

114
Q

What part of the orbiter flys the orbiter upon landing (wings, tail, body flap)?

A

airplane parts of the orbiter

115
Q

What part of the orbiter is the crew compartment located in?

A

forward fuselage

116
Q

How many decks does the crew compartment have?

A

3

117
Q

What are the 3 decks of the crew compartment?

A
  • flight deck (uppermost deck) - mid-deck - lower deck (equipment bay)
118
Q

How much space does the crew have if the airlock is located outside the fuselage?

A

2,625 cu.ft.

119
Q

What is located on the flight deck of the crew compartment?

A
  • forward deck (cockpit) - seats (commander, pilot, & 2 specialist seats) - aft deck (contains the controls for orbital operations)
120
Q

What is located on the mid-deck of the crew compartment?

A
  • living quarters (galley, sleeping bunks, toilet) - stowage compartments - exercise equipment - airlock - on some flights - entry hatch
121
Q

What is located on the lower deck of the crew compartment?

A

life support equipment, electrical systems, etc…

122
Q

What life support systems does the shuttle orbiter provide?

A
  • atmosphere control, supply, & recycling - water - temperature control - light - food supply - waste removal - fire protection
123
Q

Can the shuttle orbiter make its own electrical power?

A

Yes

124
Q

What gases make up Earth’s atmosphere?

A

nitrogen, oxygen, other gases

125
Q

Does the space shuttle atmosphere need to be similar to our atmosphere on Earth?

A

yes

126
Q

What percentage of nitrogen is in our atmosphere on Earth?

A

78%

127
Q

What percentage of oxygen is in our atmosphere on Earth?

A

21%

128
Q

How is Earth’s atmosphere duplicated on the shuttle?

A

Two systems of pressurized tanks carry liquid nitrogen & liquid oxygen. The cabin pressurization system combines the gases in the correct mixture at normal atmospheric pressure.

129
Q

What pressure is Earth’s atmosphere?

A

14 lb / in^2 (1 atm)

130
Q

How many loops of fans circulate the atmosphere on the shuttle?

A

5

131
Q

What removes the carbon dioxide by reacting it with lithium hydroxide?

A

chemical carbon dioxide canisters

132
Q

How often are the chemical carbon dioxide canisters changed?

A

every 11 hours

133
Q

What removes trace odors, dust, and volatile chemicals from leaks, spills, & outgassing on the shuttle?

A

filters and charcoal canisters

134
Q

What cools the air and condenses the moisture?

A

cabin heat exchanger

135
Q

Where is the condensed moisture from the shuttles atmosphere collected?

A

in a slurper

136
Q

What does the slurper do?

A

moves the water to a fan separator which uses centrifugal force to separate water from air

137
Q

What happens to the separated air that is removed from the slurper?

A

it is recirculated into the shuttle.

138
Q

What happens to the separated water that is removed from the slurper?

A

It is sent to the wastewater tank.

139
Q

Where is water made on the space shuttle?

A

in the fuel cells

140
Q

What is used to make water on the space shuttle?

A

liquid oxygen & hydrogen

141
Q

How much water can the fuel cells make per hour?

A

25 lb. / 11 kg

142
Q

Where is the water made on the shuttle stored?

A

in four water storage tanks located in the lower deck.

143
Q

How much water can each water storage tank hold?

A

165 lb / 75 kg

144
Q

What is the largest issue regarding temperature control on the orbiter?

A

getting rid of excess heat

145
Q

What are the 2 main functions of the temperature control system?

A
  1. distribute heat where it is needed on the orbiter so vital systems do not freeze 2. get rid of excess heat
146
Q

What are the two methods used to handle temperature control?

A

passive & active

147
Q

What are examples of passive temperature control methods?

A

simple methods such as: - insulating materials - surface coatings - paints - electrical heaters

148
Q

What is the definition of active temperature control methods?

A

more complex methods that require fluid to handle large heat loads and require maintenance

149
Q

What are examples of active temperature control methods?

A
  • cold plates - heat exchangers - radiators - flash evaporator Freon coolant loops
150
Q

Where is food stored in the crew compartment?

A

in the mid-deck

151
Q

In what forms is food kept on the space shuttle?

A
  • dehydrated - low moisture - heat-stabilized - irradiated - natural and fresh
152
Q

What is the orbiter kitchen module equipped with?

A
  • food storage compartments - food warmers - food prep area - metal trays (keep packages and utensils from floating away)
153
Q

What do the astronauts use for general housekeeping?

A
  • various types of wipes - detergents - wet/dry vacuum cleaners
154
Q

What do the astronauts do with trash?

A

separate it into wet trash bags & dry trash bags

155
Q

What happens to solid waste from the toilet?

A

it is compacted, dried, stored in bags, and returned to Earth for disposal (burning)

156
Q

What 5 components make up the Fire Detection and Suppression Subsystem on the orbiter?

A
  • area smoke detectors on each deck - smoke detectors in each rack of electrical equipment - alarms and warning lights in each module - non-toxic portable fire extinguishers (CO2- based) - personal breathing apparatus - mask & oxygen bottle for each crew member
157
Q

What system filters the air to remove particulates and toxic substances after a fire is extinguished on the orbiter?

A

atmosphere control system

158
Q

What happens to the liquid waste from the toilet?

A

sent to wastewater tank and dumped overboard

159
Q

What does the shuttle use to deploy and retrieve satellites & deliver payloads to Earth’s orbit?

A

Remote Manipulator System (RMS)

160
Q

What is the RMS?

A

a long arm with an elbow and wrist joint that can be controlled from the aft flight deck

161
Q

What fit in the carbo bay & was built by the ESA to conduct experiments in space?

A

Spacelab module

162
Q

What happened to the Spacelab module?

A

it was lost in 2003 along with Columbia

163
Q

Where are experiments in space performed now?

A

aboard the International Space Station

164
Q

What was the shuttle’s major role?

A

to build & re-supply the International Space Station

165
Q

What is used to change the direction that the orbiter is pointed (attitude)?

A

reaction control system (RCS)

166
Q

Where is the RCS located?

A

on the nose and OMS pods of the aft fuselage

167
Q

How many jets does the RCS have to move the orbiter along each axis or rotation?

A

14

168
Q

What are the 3 axes of rotation?

A
  • pitch - roll - yaw
169
Q

Why are attitude changes required on the shuttle?

A

for deploying satellites or for point instruments at the Earth or stars

170
Q

How often do astronauts talk with flight controllers on the ground?

A

daily

171
Q

Why do the astronauts talk with flight controllers on the ground?

A

for daily routine operation of the mission

172
Q

Where is NASA’s Mission Control located?

A

Houston, TX

173
Q

What is the path of signals being sent from Mission Control to the space shuttle & vice versa?

A

Mission Control in Houston, TX - to - Radio antenna at White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico - to - a pair of Tracking and Data Relay satellites in orbit 22,300 miles above Earth - to - space shuttle

174
Q

What two systems does the orbiter have for communicating with the ground?

A
  • S-band - Ku-band
175
Q

What is S-band communication used for?

A
  • voice - commands - telemetry - data files
176
Q

What is Ku-band communication used for?

A
  • video - transferring 2-way data files
177
Q

What frequency is used to talk with space walkers?

A

UHF

178
Q

What does the orbiter use to know where it is in space and how fast it is moving?

A

global positioning system (GPS)

179
Q

Where does the electricity required to run the onboard systems come from?

A

3 fuel cells located in the mid-fuselage under the payload bay

180
Q

How many onboard computers does the orbiter have to handle data processing and to control critical flight systems?

A

5

181
Q

What is a MEDS?

A

Multifunction Electronic Display Subsystem - full color, flat, 11-panel display system

182
Q

What is the MEDS also known as?

A

glass cockpit

183
Q

What does the MEDS provide?

A

graphic portrayals of key light indicators (attitude, altitude, speed)

184
Q

Where is the landing site for the space shuttle?

A

Kennedy Space Center, Edwards Air Force Base, FL

185
Q

When Mission Control give the shuttle the command to come home, what 4 things are the crew prompted to do?

A
  • close the cargo bay doors & fire the RCS to turn the orbiter tail first - once tail first, the crew fires the OMS engines to slow the orbiter - fire the RCS thrusters to pitch the orbiter over so the bottom of the orbiter faces the atmosphere and are moving nose first again - burn leftover fuel from the forward RCS as a safety precaution
186
Q

How long does it take for the shuttle to reach the upper atmosphere?

A

approx 25 mins

187
Q

What pitch does the orbiter need to be when it faces the atmosphere before re-entry?

A

about 40 degrees

188
Q

Why is the leftover fuel burned off of the forward RCS before re-entry?

A

because this area encounters the highest heat of re-entry

189
Q

How fast is the orbit moving before it returns to Earth?

A

Approximately 17,000 mph (28,000 km/h)

190
Q

What is the orbiter covered with to protect it from the heat from friction on re-entry?

A

ceramic insulating materials

191
Q

What insulating materials cover the wing surfaces and underside?

A

reinforced carbon-carbon (RCC)

192
Q

What insulating materials cover the upper forward fuselage and around the windows?

A

high-temperature black surface insulation tiles

193
Q

What insulating materials cover the upper payload bay doors, portions of the upper wing, and mid/aft fuselage?

A

white Nomex blankets

194
Q

What insulating materials cover the areas of the shuttle not covered by RCC, high-temp black surface tiles, or white Nomex blankets?

A

low-temperature white surface tiles

195
Q

How much heat does the orbiter build up from friction on re-entry?

A

approx 3000 degrees F / 1650 degrees C

196
Q

What is the importance of the ceramic insulating materials?

A

to absorb large quantities of heat without increasing their temperature

197
Q

What attitude does the orbiter need to be at during re-entry?

A

40-degree

198
Q

What help to keep the orbiter at the proper attitude during re-entry?

A

aft steering jets

199
Q

What is it called when hot ionized gases of the atmosphere surrounding the orbiter prevent radio communication with the ground for about 12 minutes?

A

ionization blackout

200
Q

Once re-entry is successful & the orbiter encounters the main air of the atmosphere, how does the shuttle fly?

A

like an airplane, piloted by flight computers

201
Q

Who flies the shuttle once it reaches 25 miles from the landing site?

A

the commander

202
Q

How far away from the landing site is the orbiter when the commander picks up a radio beacon from the runway?

A

about 140 miles

203
Q

At what angle of descent does the shuttle reach on final approach?

A

minus 20 degrees (7x steeper than a commercial airliner)

204
Q

At what distance above the ground does the commander pull up the nose to slow the rate of descent?

A

2,000 ft

205
Q

Who deploys the landing gear during descent?

A

the pilot

206
Q

Once the shuttle touches down, what is deployed from the back of the orbiter to help stop the orbiter?

A

a parachute

207
Q

How far down the runway does the orbiter travel before it stops?

A

about midway to three-quarters of the way down the runway

208
Q

How long does it take the crew to go through the shutdown procedures to power down the spacecraft after it lands?

A

about 20 minutes

209
Q

While the orbiter is powering down, what is happening to the orbiter?

A

it is cooling & noxious gases made during re-entry are blown away

210
Q

When an emergency occurs during a shuttle mission, whose role is it to evaluate the event and triage the process?

A

Mission Control

211
Q

What is the primary focus of Mission Control during an emergency?

A

the safety of the crew

212
Q

What can happen during an emergency (anomaly) that Mission Control has to manage and reduce?

A

the potential to over-complicate the situation

213
Q

What must the crew and Mission Control depend on during an emergency?

A
  • individual & team capabilities - training - assigned roles
214
Q

What is the worst possible outcome of an emergency?

A

“Mission Abort”

215
Q

What is a space shuttle abort procedure?

A

an emergency procedure needed due to equipment failure on the space shuttle

216
Q

How many abort modes are available during ascent?

A

five

217
Q

What was the most commonly expected problem to cause an abort mode?

A

Main Engine failure

218
Q

What would Main Engine failure cause?

A

inability to either cross the Atlantic or to acheieve orbit

219
Q

What are other non-engine failures that would result in an abort?

A
  • multiple auxiliary power unit (APU) failure - cabin leak - external tank leak (ullage leak)
220
Q

What does RSLS stand for?

A

Redundant Set Launch Sequencer

221
Q

What is a RSLS abort?

A

An abort that takes place between T-6.6 s & T-0 s. -when the main engines can still be shut down

222
Q

How often has RSLS abort happened?

A

five

223
Q

Of the RSLS aborts that have occured, who/what has controlled the abort?

A

computer control (having sensed a problem with the main engines after starting but before SRB ignition)

224
Q

Once the SRBs are ignited, can RSLS abort still occur?

A

No

225
Q

At what point after SRB ignition can an abort option be applied?

A

after SRB burnout which occurs at 123 seconds

226
Q

How many intact abort modes are there?

A

four

227
Q

What is an intact abort mode?

A

aborts designed to provide a safe return of the orbiter to a planned landing site or to a lower orbit than intended for the mission

228
Q

What are the four intact abort modes?

A
  • Return to Launch Site (RTLS) - Transoceanic Abort Landing (TAL) - Abort Once Around (AOA) - Abort to Orbit (ATO)
229
Q

In Return to Launch Site (RTLS), what would the shuttle do?

A

continue downrange until the SRBs were jettisoned

230
Q

In RTLS, how long do the main engines continue burning?

A

until the downrange velocity was killed & the vehicle began heading back toward the launch site at a sufficient velocity to reach a runway

231
Q

In RTLS, about how long does it take the orbiter to land back at Kenneday Space Center?

A

about 25 minutes

232
Q

At one point after lift-off is RTLS no longer an option?

A

about 4 minutes after lift-off

233
Q

If all 3 main engines failed, during RTLS, would the shuttle be able to make it back to the runway at Kennedy Space Center (KSC)?

A

no

234
Q

In the event of all three space shuttle main engine (SSME) failure, what would the crew do?

A

bail out - loss of shuttle

235
Q

Was the RTLS abort ever used in the history of the shuttle program?

A

no

236
Q

In Transoceanic Abort Landing (TAL), what would the shuttle do?

A

land at a predetermined location in Africa or western Europe about 25-30 minutes after lift-off

237
Q

Why would the TAL be used instead of the RTLS option?

A
  • when velocity, altitude, and distance downrange did not allow return to launch point - when less time-critical failure did not require the faster RTLS option
238
Q

At what time interval would TAL occur?

A

between roughly T+ 2:30 min after liftoff & about T+8:30 mins - main engine cutoff (MECO)

239
Q

Name the last 4 TAL sites prior to the shuttles retirement.

A
  • Istres Air Base, France - Zaragoza air base, Spain - Moron air base, Spain - RAF Fairford, England
240
Q

How many TAL sites were named for each mission?

A

two

241
Q

When do preparations begin at a TAL site prior to launch?

A

a week before launch

242
Q

How long do preparations at a TAL site take prior to launch?

A

about 4 - 5 days

243
Q

Who prepared the TAL site for readiness prior to a launch?

A

primarily NASA personnel and the Department of Defense

244
Q

Was the TAL abort procedure ever needed in the history of the shuttle program?

A

no

245
Q

What type of medical personnel were deployed to the TAL sites prior to launch?

A
  • 9 para-rescuemen - 2 flight surgeons - 1 nurse - 1 medical technician
246
Q

When was Abort Once Around (AOA) abort used?

A

when the shuttle could not reach a stable orbit but had sufficient velocity to circle the earth once & land

247
Q

About how long did it take the shuttle to land in AOA?

A

about 90 minutes after lift-off

248
Q

How likely is AOA? Why?

A

Very unlikely; the time window is very short between TAL & ATO abort opportunities

249
Q

Was AOA ever used in the history of the shuttle program?

A

no

250
Q

What is ATO abort opportunity?

A

when the intended orbit could not be reached, but a lower stable orbit was possible

251
Q

Was ATO ever used in the history of the shuttle program?

A

yes, once

252
Q

Why did mission control have to call ATO on mission STS-51-F?

A

Mission Control Center in Houston, TX observed a space shuttle main engine (SSME) failure

253
Q

Where is Mission Control Center in Houston, TX located?

A

Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center

254
Q

What is the moment at which an ATO became possible referred to as?

A

the “press to ATO” moment

255
Q

What happened in an ATO situation?

A

-spacecraft commander rotated the cockpit abort mode switch to the ATO position & depressed the abort push button

256
Q

Can the commander make abort decisions & take control if communications with mission control are lost?

A

yes

257
Q

How were emergency landing sites determined for the orbiter?

A

they were pre-determined on a mission-by-mission basis according to: -mission profile - weather - regional political situations

Student Astronaut Challenge 2018 (9 decks)

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