Space News
space history and artifacts articles

Messages
space history discussion forums

Sightings
worldwide astronaut appearances

Resources
selected space history documents

  collectSPACE: Messages
  Hardware & Flown Items
  Space shuttle stowage and flight manifests

Post New Topic  Post A Reply
profile | register | preferences | faq | search

next newest topic | next oldest topic
Author Topic:   Space shuttle stowage and flight manifests
holcombeyates
Member

Posts: 243
From: UK
Registered: Dec 2010

posted 10-28-2017 08:26 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for holcombeyates   Click Here to Email holcombeyates     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Any ideas how to check if a space shuttle item is flown if it has been tagged with a model number and serial number?

It could have flown numerous times just to complicate things.

Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 42981
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 10-28-2017 09:05 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
With the exception of the contents of the Official Flight Kit (OFK), of which a growing library can be found here, the serial and part number records for the crew equipment, payloads and components of the space shuttle were not released to the public.

When the program was active, it was possible to submit a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, seeking any documents associated with the part and serial numbers, but as the databases containing that information have been moved to the National Archives, and to my knowledge are not in any accessible format as of present, I believe NASA's response now is that they no longer possess the data to respond.

Thus, unless you have the original equipment parts tag tracing the history of the item from bonded storage to flight and back, or the scrap paperwork, at least possibly identifying the date of its final use, I am unaware of any means to further research its flight history. If others are aware differently, please do add to this thread.

SpaceAholic
Member

Posts: 4437
From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 10-28-2017 09:48 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for SpaceAholic   Click Here to Email SpaceAholic     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
As previously noted, scrap paperwork does not generally confirm flown status — items can be installed and removed in the intervening period between flights for a variety of reasons. See a lot of shuttle items that are being sold on the market with little more then scrap paperwork as purportedly "flown."

Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 42981
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 10-28-2017 09:55 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Some scrap paperwork has typed or handwritten notes noting flight use, but that is the exception.

Scrap paperwork did offer the needed data for a FOIA request as described above, but that was only when the program was active.

All times are CT (US)

next newest topic | next oldest topic

Administrative Options: Close Topic | Archive/Move | Delete Topic
Post New Topic  Post A Reply
Hop to:

Contact Us | The Source for Space History & Artifacts

Copyright 2020 collectSPACE.com All rights reserved.


Ultimate Bulletin Board 5.47a





advertisement