Spacelab was a reusable laboratory flown into space on the Space Shuttle. It allowed scientists to perform experiments in microgravity in Earth orbit. The laboratory consisted of multiple components, including a pressurized module, an unpressurized carrier and other related hardware.

History

In August 1973, NASA and ESRO (now European Space Agency (ESA)) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to build a science laboratory for use on Space Shuttle flights. Construction of Spacelab started in 1974 by the ERNO (daughter of VFW-Fokker GmbH, after merger with MBB named MBB/ERNO, and since 2003 part of EADS SPACE Transportation). The first set including lab module, LM1, was given to NASA free of charge by ESA in exchange for flight opportunities for European astronauts. A second module, LM2, was bought by NASA for its own use from ERNO. In addition to the laboratory module, the complete set also included five external pallets for experiments in vacuum, built by British Aerospace and a pressurized igloo containing the subsystems needed for the pallet-only flight configuration operation.



Eight flight configurations were qualified though even more could be assembled.

The Spacelab components were used on 25 shuttle flights, but the components were decommissioned in 1998 except the pallets. Science work was to be moved to the International Space Station and Spacehab module, a pressurized carrier similar to the Spacelab Module. A Spacelab Pallet was recommissioned in 2002 for flight on STS-99. The "Spacelab Pallet - Deployable 1 (SLP-D1) with Canadian Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator, Dextre" was launched on STS-123. "Spacelab Pallet - Deployable 2 (SLP-D2)" was scheduled for STS-127.

The LM2 is now on display in the Bremenhalle exhibition in the Bremen Airport of Bremen, Germany.

Description

The Spacelab Module consists of a cylindrical main laboratory configurable as Short or Long Module flown in the rear of the Space Shuttle cargo bay, connected to the crew compartment by a tunnel. The laboratory had an outer diameter of 4.12 m, and each segment a length of 2.7 m. Most of the time two segments were used in forming the Long Module configuration.

The Spacelab Pallet is a U-shaped platform for mounting instrumentation, large instruments, experiments requiring exposure to space, and instruments requiring a large field of view, such as telescopes. The pallet has several hard points for mounting heavy equipment. The pallet can be used in single configuration or stacked end to end in double or triple configurations. Up to five pallets can be configured in the Space Shuttle cargo bay by using a double plus triple pallet.

Other Spacelab elements include the tunnel, Igloo, and the Instrument Pointing System (IPS) tailored to the pallet interfaces for precise pointing to space or earth targets.

Spacelab missions

Mission name	Shuttle	Launch date	Spacelab mission name	Spacelab configuration
STS-9	Columbia	November 28, 1983	Spacelab 1	Module LM1 and Pallet
STS-51-B	Challenger	April 29, 1985	Spacelab 3	Module LM1
STS-51-F	Challenger	July 29, 1985	Spacelab 2	Triple Pallet configuration
STS-61-A	Challenger	October 30, 1985	Spacelab D1	Module LM2
STS-35	Columbia	December 2, 1990	ASTRO-1	Pallet
STS-40	Columbia	June 5, 1991	SLS-1	Module LM1
STS-42	Discovery	January 22, 1992	IML-1	Module LM2
STS-45	Atlantis	March 24, 1992	ATLAS-1	Double Pallet configuration
STS-50	Columbia	June 25, 1992	USML-1	Module LM1
STS-47	Endeavour	September 12, 1992	Spacelab-J	Module LM2
STS-56	Discovery	April 8, 1993	ATLAS-2	Pallet
STS-55	Columbia	April 26, 1993	Spacelab D2	Module LM1
STS-58	Columbia	October 18, 1993	SLS-2	Module LM2
STS-59	Endeavour	April 9, 1994	SRL-1	Pallet
STS-65	Columbia	July 8, 1994	IML-2	Module LM1
STS-68	Endeavour	September 30, 1994	SRL-2	Pallet
STS-66	Atlantis	November 3, 1994	ATLAS-3	Pallet
STS-67	Endeavour	March 2, 1995	ASTRO-2	Pallet
STS-71	Atlantis	June 27, 1995	Spacelab-Mir	Module LM2
STS-73	Columbia	October 20, 1995	USML-2	Module LM1
STS-78	Columbia	June 20, 1996	LMS	Module LM2
STS-83	Columbia	April 4, 1997	MSL-1	Module LM1
STS-94	Columbia	July 1, 1997	MSL-1R	Module LM1
STS-90	Columbia	April 17, 1998	Neurolab	Module LM2
STS-99	Endeavour	February 11, 2000	SRTM	Pallet

Other missions

• STS-92, October 2000, PMA-3, ( )
• STS-108, December 2001, Lightweight Mission Peculiar Support Structure Carrier (LMC) ( )
• STS-123, March 2008, Pallet ( ), Dextre

References

• Lord, Douglas R. Spacelab An international success story, NASA-SP-487. NASA, January 1, 1987.
• SLP/2104-2: Spacelab Payload Accommodation Handbook

External links

• Spacelab history on NASA.gov
• Spacelab: An International Short-Stay Orbiting Laboratory, NASA-EP-165 on NASA.gov
• Science in Orbit: The Shuttle & Spacelab Experience, 1981-1986, NASA-NP-119 on NASA.gov
• Spacelab Payloads on Shuttle Flights on NASA.gov
• a cutaway drawing of the Spacelab