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Forum:	Space Shuttles - Space Station
Topic:	Circular opening on shuttle orbiter nose?

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Your Reply: HTML is ON UBB Code is ON Smilies Legend	[QUOTE]Originally posted by FullThrottle: [B]Are you referring to the oval hole for the RCS thruster? I think that's what it's called... They put covers over them on the pad to keep moisture out so the water doesn't freeze causing a faulty thruster.[/B][/QUOTE]
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<table border=0 cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 width="600"><TR><td bgcolor="#000000"><TABLE BORDER=0 cellpadding=4 border=0 cellspacing=1 WIDTH="100%"><TR bgcolor="#660000"><TD COLSPAN=2><CENTER>T O P I C     R E V I E W</CENTER></TD></TR><TR bgcolor="#494949"><TD valign=top>QuiGon Grin</TD><TD>Sorry if this is a pretty basic question, but after all these years I just noticed something on the nose of the space shuttles that I never saw before, and I don't know what it is nor have I been able to find any reference for what it is.What is the circular opening just fore of the orbiters windows? As can be viewed here:<center><img src="http://www.collectspace.com/review/quigongrin/startrackers.jpg" BORDER="0"></center>In my search I've noticed that it is covered with paper or is it plastic on the launch pad, which may be why I never noticed it before.</TD></TR><TR bgcolor="#333333"><TD valign=top>FullThrottle</TD><TD>Are you referring to the oval hole for the RCS thruster? I think that's what it's called... They put covers over them on the pad to keep moisture out so the water doesn't freeze causing a faulty thruster.</TD></TR><TR bgcolor="#494949"><TD valign=top>Robert Pearlman</TD><TD>While it is true that the reaction control system (RCS) thrusters are covered by Tyvek paper (hence they are referred to as "Tyvek covers") before launch, the opening to which the original post refers to is for the orbiter's two <A HREF="http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/reference/shutref/orbiter/avionics/gnc/startracker.html" TARGET=_blank>star trackers</A> and is protected by a door that can be opened and closed by the crew. <BLOCKQUOTE>The star tracker system is part of the orbiter's navigation system. Its two units are located just forward and to the left of the commander's plus X window in a well outside the pressurized crew compartment... The star trackers are used to align the <A HREF="http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/reference/shutref/orbiter/avionics/gnc/imu.html" TARGET=_blank>IMUs</A> on board the orbiter as well as to track targets and provide line-of-sight vectors for rendezvous calculations.Each star tracker has a door to protect it during ascent and entry. The doors are opened on orbit to permit use of the star trackers.</BLOCKQUOTE></TD></TR><TR bgcolor="#333333"><TD valign=top>QuiGon Grin</TD><TD>Thanks Robert. Sorry for the late reply but I didn't turn my computer on until today. The "openings" are indeed the star trackers as I did a web search using that term and all results show the openings in question as star trackers.</TD></TR><TR bgcolor="#494949"><TD valign=top>golddog</TD><TD>Every time I see it I think God, that is such a magnificent machine. It makes me weep to think that soon it will no longer be flying</TD></TR><TR bgcolor="#333333"><TD valign=top>garymilgrom</TD><TD>I have acquired a tile from this area of the Shuttle. Here's a close up photo of the area around one of the star trackers:<center><img src="https://farm7.static.flickr.com/6025/6198602138_cd9d8b0f08.jpg" width="400" height="400" alt="391027 In Situ 400px"></center>And here's a photo of my tile. I believe this is the third tile to the right of the unlabeled tile in the above photo. That tile is number 391027-274, while mine is 391027–268.<center><img src="https://farm7.static.flickr.com/6014/6198082989_0beebfa256_z.jpg" width="400" height="567" alt="391027 GM 400px"></center></TD></TR><TR bgcolor="#494949"><TD valign=top>dabolton</TD><TD>How did the star trackers open? Manually from the crew cabin or automatically?</TD></TR><TR bgcolor="#333333"><TD valign=top>GACspaceguy</TD><TD>WOW, cool tile Gary, great addition to your collection!</TD></TR><TR bgcolor="#494949"><TD valign=top>Jay Chladek</TD><TD>I am pretty sure the doors could likely open automatically when the star trackers powered up and knowing NASA there was also a manual bypass as well in case an automatic system didn't work. These doors close during launch and reentry, but once on orbit, they stay open nearly the entire time.</TD></TR><TR bgcolor="#333333"><TD valign=top>ARodriguez</TD><TD>Each star tracker door actually has a three position open/close/off switch and a dedicated power switch. However it is also possible to use one door switch to close/open both doors although at 12 sec instead of 6 seconds with its own switch. The crew nominally uses both door control switches. In the event of a power loss to the star tracker electronics assembly the associated door will automatically shut. </TD></TR></TABLE></td></tr></table>

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