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Author
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Topic: ISS Hatch Assembly (Quest/Destiny/Unity)
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SpaceAholic
Member Posts: 5278
From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 09-13-2007 12:04 AM
   
While on a recent trip to Huntsville Alabama, allocated a couple of hours to rummaging through some local scrap/surplus shops and picked up this fairly complete ISS hatch designed for the Quest Airlock as well as the Destiny and Unity modules. Below images show the recovered hatch as well as onboard application. It is missing only the central pressure indicator/view port assembly (anybody got a spare laying around?)  
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SpaceAholic
Member Posts: 5278
From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 09-13-2007 12:06 AM
 
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Jay Chladek
Member Posts: 2272
From: Bellevue, NE, USA
Registered: Aug 2007
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posted 09-13-2007 12:10 AM
Now THAT is quite a find you made there. But how did you get it home and how much money did it set you back? Cool find to be certain! |
space1
Member Posts: 927
From: Danville, Ohio
Registered: Dec 2002
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posted 09-13-2007 04:40 AM
Fantastic! |
NavySpaceFan
Member Posts: 664
From: Norfolk, VA
Registered: May 2007
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posted 09-13-2007 01:27 PM
Sweet Scott!!!! |
Philip
Member Posts: 6226
From: Brussels, Belgium
Registered: Jan 2001
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posted 09-13-2007 02:11 PM
What if they need a replacement hatch  LOL |
SpaceAholic
Member Posts: 5278
From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 09-13-2007 03:42 PM
Unlikely that a 240 pound titanium alloy reinforced ribbed hatch is going to be damaged, however if NASA or anyone else needs this spare would be happy to exchange for a decent bi-propellant rocket engine (a Marquardt R4D would do!).Incidentally the reason I put items like this up on the forum is not only to highlight them (obviously as a passionate collector I do enjoy showing new stuff off); it's also to demonstrate there remains much material to be had by foraging non-traditional sources and that if it were not for members of the cS community rescuing them, most if not all will be reduced back to primordial slag (as has happened to the large majority of residual components from US programs). To be sure it's gotten a bit tougher as the federal govt has become more restrictive on what it will release directly through the property disposal process. But contractors can and do still generate lots of "waste" that is sold direct to bulk scrap and surplus dealers. With the Project Constellation effort underway, anticipate a new window of opportunity will exist to retrieve and preserve items from Ares/Orion development. For those who have the time and motivation - Happy Hunting! |
Jay Chladek
Member Posts: 2272
From: Bellevue, NE, USA
Registered: Aug 2007
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posted 09-13-2007 07:31 PM
Hmmm, a rocket engine eh? You trying to reinact Billy Bob Thorton's role in "The Astronaut Farmer" or something? Seriously, thanks for showing this and pointing out what can be had. My own resources are a bit tight right now, but in a few years I would like to begin searching for similar hardware to this if the opportunities present themselves. Nice to see it is still possible. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 51172
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 12-11-2007 07:57 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Jay Chladek:
But how did you get it home...
I can now say from experience that it isn't that easy!  (Especially when home is separated from the ground by three flights of stairs. This hatch wanted to stay firmly planted in the gravity well.) But boy, once its inside your living room, it is such the conversation piece. |
DMScott
Member Posts: 359
From: Lexington, MA, USA
Registered: Dec 2005
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posted 12-12-2007 05:11 AM
Amazing.Scott, this is another terrific piece. Thanks for sharing. |
SpaceAholic
Member Posts: 5278
From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 12-12-2007 08:08 AM
Rob also just added a fine piece to his collection - though I heard a rumor he acquired his hatch to armor his house against agitated cS Members... |
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