- Rendezvous pitch maneuver
The R-bar pitch maneuver (RPM), popularly called the rendezvous pitch maneuver, is a maneuver performed by the space shuttle as it rendezvous with the
International Space Station (ISS) prior to docking. The shuttle performs a backflip that exposes its heat-shield to the crew of the ISS that makes photographs of it. Based on the information gathered during the rendezvous pitch maneuver, the mission team may decide that the orbiter is not safe for re-entry. They may then decide either to wait on the ISS for a rescue mission or attemptextra-vehicular activity to repair the heat shield and secure the safe re-entry of the orbiter.Maneuver description
The name of the maneuver is based on the
R-bar andV-bar lines that are used in the approach of the space station. R-bar orEarth Radius Vector is an imaginary line connecting the space station to the center of the Earth. V-bar would be the velocity vector of the space station.cite web|url=http://spaceflightnow.com/station/stage5a1/010309fd2/|title=Shuttle Discovery nears rendezvous with station|publisher=spaceflightnow.com|author=WILLIAM HARWOOD|date=March 9 ,2001 |accessdate=2008-04-03] The shuttle approaches the station along the R-bar line and at a small distance from the ISS, usually around 600 feet (180 meters), the shuttle performs a slow 360° pitch, during which it exposes its underside, the heat shield, to the ISS. The crew inside the ISS visually inspects and photographs the heat shield to determine whether or not it has been damaged during liftoff and ascent. This maneuver requires skilled piloting, as the shuttlecommander must fly very close to the ISS without the station always in full view. After the maneuver is complete the shuttle flies from the R-bar to the V-bar, a 90 degree angle change as seen from ISS and then continues along the V-bar line to close in on the space station and eventually complete the docking.The rendezvous pitch maneuver was developed by NASA engineers Steve Walker, Mark Schrock and Jessica LoPresti after the
Space Shuttle Columbia disaster . Columbia had sustained damage to its heat shield due to insulating foam breaking off the external tank and hitting the shield at liftoff. The damage was too great for the heat shield to protect the shuttle from the heat and structural strain ofatmospheric reentry , causing it to break apart. For this reason, the integrity of the heat shield has been a critical concern ofNASA ever since. The maneuver was first performed on theSTS-114 mission by Cmdr.Eileen Collins , which was theReturn to Flight mission after the Columbia disaster.Photographers and photographic equipment used during RPMs
STS-114
During
STS-114 , the rendezvous pitch maneuver was performed shortly before docking with the ISS at 1118 GMT onJuly 28 ,2005 , whenSpace Shuttle Discovery was photographed by CommanderSergei Krikalev and Flight EngineerJohn L. Phillips , of the ISSExpedition 11 , using handheldKodak 760 DCS digital cameras. On this occasion, astronautStephen Robinson undertook a precautionary spacewalk to remove protruding gap fillers prior to re-entry.STS-121
During
STS-121 , the rendezvous pitch maneuver was performed at 1402 GMT onJuly 6 ,2006 , when "Discovery" was photographed by CommanderPavel Vinogradov and Flight EngineerJeffrey Williams of the ISSExpedition 13 , using 400mm and 800mm lenses.STS-115
During
STS-115 ,Space Shuttle Atlantis ' belly was photographed by the ISSExpedition 13 .STS-116
During
STS-116 , "Discovery", commanded byMark L. Polansky , performed the RPM and was photographed by the ISSExpedition 14 .STS-117
During the RPM of
STS-117 performed by mission commanderRick Sturckow ,Sunita Williams and another member ofExpedition 15 used 400mm and 800mm lenses for taking photos out of two windows of the ISS.STS-118
During
STS-118 the RPM of OV |105 |full=no was photographed byExpedition 15 . The maneuver was videotaped byClay Anderson and photographed byFyodor Yurchikhin andOleg Kotov with 800mm and 400mm lenses.STS-120
Expedition 16 crewmembersClay Anderson andYuri Malenchenko photographed and videotaped the RPM ofSpace Shuttle Discovery duringSTS-120 .STS-122
The
STS-122 RPM occurred on9 February 2008 . From 16:24 to 16:31UTC , "Atlantis" pilotAlan G. Poindexter performed the RPM. The RPM was photographed by Expedition 16 crew membersPeggy Whitson and Yuri Malenchenko with 400mm and 800mm lenses, respectively, from the "Zvezda" service module. Malenchenko had been directed to take extra images of the starboard OMS pod, so an "area of interest" on the thermal blanket can be evaluated. Some 300 images were expected to be captured. [cite video |date2= 2008-02-09 |title= NASA TV |url= http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html |format=MPEG4 |medium= Live Broadcast |publisher=NASA |location= Earth Orbit |accessdate = 2008-02-09 |time= 16:24 UTC ]References
See also
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Space rendezvous External links
* [http://www.nasa.gov/lb/vision/space/preparingtravel/steve_walker.html Flight Controller Readies Shuttle for First Flip]
* NASA offers the video of the STS-121 backflip streamed in [http://mfile.akamai.com/18566/wmv/etouchsyst2.download.akamai.com/18355/wm.nasa-global/sts-121/rpm_07_06_06.asx WMV] and [http://anon.nasa-global.edgesuite.net/anon.nasa-global/ccvideos/sts_121/ksc_070606_sts121_backflip_cc_real.ram Real] ; and for download in [http://www.nasa.gov/mp4/151728main_Space_Shuttle_Pitch_Maneuver.mp4 mp4]
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