{"id":42061,"date":"2006-05-23T00:03:31","date_gmt":"2006-05-22T16:03:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/t-radical-solution-to-tps-repair\/"},"modified":"2006-05-23T00:03:31","modified_gmt":"2006-05-22T16:03:31","slug":"t-radical-solution-to-tps-repair","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/t-radical-solution-to-tps-repair\/","title":{"rendered":"T-RADical solution to TPS repair"},"content":{"rendered":"

A futuristic solution to repairing the Shuttle Orbiter\u2019s Thermal Protection System (TPS) on orbit will see Astronauts tackle a damaged ship with a backpack and pressure gun. <\/p>\n

The T-RAD (Tile Repair Ablator Dispenser) is based on the concept of a smaller STA-5 applicator, which was part of a scrapped CIPAA (cure in place ablator applicator) back pack system.\n<\/p>\n

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**CLICK HERE FOR SELECTED SLIDES FROM THE FULL DOCUMENT ON L2**<\/font><\/em><\/font><\/p>\n

According to documents acquired by this site, the concept is undergoing an \u2018aggressive development schedule for STS-121\u2019 given the lack of options that will fly on Discovery next month. It is hoped that \u2018limited testing\u2019 will be a possible on that mission as part of NASA\u2019s pursuing of \u2018safe-to-use certification.\u2019<\/font><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/font>Despite the size of the device, it can be stowed in a single mid deck locker, ready to be unpacked in the event of damage being spotted in specific areas of the orbiter\u2019s protective tiled skin.<\/font><\/p>\n

Consisting of a canister, pressurized with CO2, that can be attached to the astronaut\u2019s suit, or can be carried freely behind, and a hand held gun, the option uses the ablator material \u2018STA-54\u2019 as a sealant for the landing gear doors \u2013 a major weak point in the orbiter\u2019s TPS.<\/font><\/p>\n

A recent PRCB document noted NASA is \u2018evaluating STA-54 as Door Seal & Penetration repair for tile,\u2019 with the note \u2018recommend STA-54 with new applicator (T-RAD) for Door Seal & penetrations.\u2019<\/font><\/p>\n

The canister of liquid CO2 has a weight of approximately 38 lbs when filled, while the Gun and Swivel assembly is borrowed from CIPAA concept that was deemed unavailable after STS-114 last summer.<\/font><\/p>\n

<\/font><\/em>Such repair requirements are a contingency, one of several that are now open to a crew on a damaged orbiter. Even after a repair is carried out, the work would have to undergo a huge amount of analysis by engineers on the ground before the vehicle is allowed to attempt a trip back home.<\/p>\n

<\/font>Even then, should they be any doubt, the mission would take the option of \u2018safe haven\u2019 \u2013 where the orbiter would remain docked while the crew take up residence on the International Space Station. A rescue shuttle would be launched to bring the stricken crew home, while the damaged orbiter would automatically undock.<\/font><\/p>\n

The fate of the damaged vehicle will depend on how she copes on re-entry, although the option is now available where she can \u2013 through a series of wires and modifications \u2013 complete a landing at Edwards Air Force base in Californian on her own. Problems during re-entry would led to a ditching in the Pacific ocean.<\/font><\/p>\n

Aerospace & Defense<\/path>Spaceflight history books<\/path>Space Shuttle models<\/path>\n

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A futuristic solution to repairing the Shuttle Orbiter\u2019s Thermal Protection System (TPS) on orbit will see Astronauts tackle a damaged ship with a backpack and pressure gun. The T-RAD (Tile Repair Ablator Dispenser) is based on the concept of a smaller STA-5 applicator, which was part of a scrapped CIPAA (cure in place ablator applicator) […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-42061","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42061"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=42061"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42061\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=42061"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=42061"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=42061"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}