Extended Duration Orbiter
The Extended Duration Orbiter (EDO) program was a project by
The first orbiter outfitted with the EDO hardware configuration was
EDO Pallet
The Extended Duration Orbiter Cryogenic kit (EDO-pallet or CRYO) was a 15-foot-diameter (4.6 m) equipment assembly which attached vertically to the payload bay rear bulkhead of an
Initially, NASA considered adding a second EDO pallet to Endeavour, placed in front of the first, for a total of thirteen tank sets, that would have allowed an orbiter to remain in space for 28 days, but managers decided against it when the International Space Station assembly began, and instead removed the EDO capability from the orbiter, to reduce its weight and allow it to carry more cargo to the ISS.[1][5]
No replacement for the pallet was planned, since the
Specifications
The EDO tanks stored 368 pounds (167 kg) of
Use
The EDO pallet was designed to augment the orbiter's endurance for prolonged missions by supplying additional hydrogen and oxygen for its fuel cells. These fuel cells, in turn, converted hydrogen and oxygen into electrical energy essential for the orbiter's operations.[7] For instance, during STS-80, 5,856 kWh was produced from 3,989 lb of oxygen and 502 lb of hydrogen.[8]: 24 For STS-50, 6,204.7 kWh was generated from 4,367 lb of oxygen and 550 lb of hydrogen.[9]: 12 In comparison, STS-77, a mission without the EDO pallet, yielded 3,924 kWh from 2,745 lb of oxygen and 346 lb of hydrogen.[10]: 20
Another byproduct of the fuel cell operation was potable water. STS-77 produced 3,091 lb,[10]: 20 while missions utilizing the EDO pallet, such as STS-50 and STS-80, yielded 4,914.6 lb[9]: 12 and 4,492 lb,[8]: 24 respectively.
Missions incorporating the EDO pallet provided extended opportunities for scientific research. They enabled detailed studies in areas like microgravity, life sciences, terrestrial observations, and astronomical observations. They also facilitated an understanding of human adaptability in reduced gravity conditions.[7]
The following missions used the EDO pallet:
EDO Flight | Shuttle | Mission | Launch Date | Duration | Primary Payload(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Columbia | STS-50 | June 25, 1992 | 13 days, 19 hours, 30 minutes, 4 seconds | United States Microgravity Laboratory-1[9]: 1 |
2 | Columbia | STS-58 | October 18, 1993 | 14 days, 0 hours, 12 minutes, 32 seconds | Spacelab Life Sciences-2 |
3 | Columbia | STS-62 | March 4, 1994 | 13 days, 23 hours, 16 minutes, 41 seconds | United States Microgravity Payload-2 |
4 | Columbia | STS-65 | July 8, 1994 | 14 days, 17 hours, 55 minutes, 1 second | International Microgravity Laboratory-2 |
5 | Endeavour | STS-67 | March 2, 1995 | 16 days, 15 hours, 8 minutes, 48 seconds | ASTRO-2 |
6 | Columbia | STS-73 | October 20, 1995 | 15 days, 21 hours, 53 minutes, 16 seconds | United States Microgravity Laboratory-2 |
7 | Columbia | STS-75 | February 22, 1996 | 15 days, 17 hours, 40 minutes, 22 seconds | Tethered Satellite System-1R (reflight of Tethered Satellite System-1 on STS-46) United States Microgravity Payload-3 |
8 | Columbia | STS-78 | June 20, 1996 | 16 days, 21 hours, 48 minutes, 30 seconds | Life and Microgravity Spacelab |
9 | Columbia | STS-80 | November 19, 1996 | 17 days, 15 hours, 53 minutes, 18 seconds | Wake Shield Facility ORFEUS-SPAS II[8]: 1 |
10 | Columbia | STS-83 | April 4, 1997 | 3 days, 23 hours, 13 minutes, 38 seconds | Microgravity Science Laboratory-1 (Mission ended early due to a problem with one of Columbia's fuel cells.[11]) |
11 | Columbia | STS-94 | July 1, 1997 | 15 days, 16 hours, 45 minutes, 29 seconds | Microgravity Science Laboratory-1 (reflight of STS-83) |
12 | Columbia | STS-87 | November 19, 1997 | 15 days, 16 hours, 35 minutes, 1 second | United States Microgravity Payload-4 SPARTAN-201 |
13 | Columbia | STS-90 | April 17, 1998 | 15 days, 21 hours, 50 minutes, 58 seconds | Neurolab |
14 | Columbia | STS-107 | January 16, 2003 | 15 days, 22 hours, 20 minutes, 32 seconds | SPACEHAB Research Double Module FREESTAR, Lost during reentry, Space Shuttle Columbia disaster |
EDO medical project
Prior to the EDO project, no shuttle had flown a mission longer than 10 days. Since space travelers may faint when they stand up (
Other EDO projects and studies
- Manual Apparel Cleaning System - A system for laundering selected items of clothing.[14]
- An automated Fault Detection, Isolation, and Reconfiguration-system (FDIR) that would support the shuttles for up to 28 days.[15]
- Extended Duration Orbiter Waste Collection System.[16] A similar system was later added to ISS as the ISS Waste Collector Subsystem.[17]
- Extended Duration Orbiter Regenerable CO2 Removal System.[16]
- Medical Extended Medical Enterprise (MEME).[18]
See also
References
- ^ ISBN 0-9633974-5-1.)
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link - ^ a b NASA PAO (2007). "List of Extended Duration Missions". NASA. Archived from the original on June 23, 2006. Retrieved November 16, 2007.
- ^ NASA (1992). "STS-50". National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Retrieved November 16, 2007.
- ^ NASA. "Overview of STS–107 Mission and Key Research - FS-2002-06-107-MSFC" (PDF). NASA. Retrieved 2007-11-16.
- ^ NASA (1992-03-03). "Artist concept cutaway view of OV-105 docked with Space Station Freedom (SSF)". NASA. Archived from the original on 2009-09-17. Retrieved 2007-11-16.
- ^ NASA (2007). "STS-87". NASA. Archived from the original on November 12, 2016. Retrieved November 16, 2007.
- ^ a b Evans, Ben (1 April 2015). "Stretching the Shuttle: 25 Years Since the EDO Decision". AmericaSpace. Archived from the original on 3 May 2023. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
- ^ a b c STS-80 Space Shuttle Mission Report (PDF) (Technical report). NASA. February 1997. NSTS-37411/TM-112252. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 September 2023. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
- ^ a b c STS-50 Space Shuttle Mission Report (PDF) (Technical report). NASA. August 1992. NSTS-08277/CR-193057. Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 August 2023. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
- ^ a b STS-77 Space Shuttle Mission Report (PDF) (Technical report). NASA. June 1996. NSTS-37408/TM-112641. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 September 2023. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
- ^ NASA (2001). "STS-83". NASA. Retrieved December 8, 2007.
- ^ Johnson Space Center, NASA. "Extended Duration Orbiter Medical Project (EDOMP)". NASA. Archived from the original on 2008-10-04. Retrieved 2007-11-17.
- ^ NASA (July 17, 2007). "ISS Medical Project". NASA. Archived from the original on June 2, 2008. Retrieved 2007-11-17.
- ^ NASA. "Manual Apparel Cleaning System for Extended- Duration-Orbiter Shuttle Missions". NASA. Retrieved November 16, 2007.
- Bibcode:1992aiaa.meetZ....R.
- ^ a b James E. Atwater (1996). "Life Support Systems: Mercury to Shuttle". Oregon State University. Archived from the original on August 8, 2007. Retrieved November 16, 2007.
- ^ NASA POA (June 22, 2001). "International Space Station Waste Collector Subsystem Refurbishment DTO 692". Retrieved 2007-11-17.
- ^ NASA. "Bioastronautics Contract: Example Task Orders" (.doc). NASA. Retrieved November 16, 2007.
External links
- "Extended Duration Missions". NASA.