Usage Conditions May Apply Usage Conditions Apply There are restrictions for re-using this media. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page. IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and image viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. More - https://iiif.si.edu View Manifest View in Mirador Viewer Usage Conditions May Apply Usage Conditions Apply There are restrictions for re-using this media. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page. IIIF provides researchers rich metadata and image viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. More - https://iiif.si.edu View Manifest View in Mirador Viewer

This cover protected the fragile components of the Shuttle star tracker, and it was removed before flight. The star tracker was mounted near the nose of a Shuttle orbiter and used to establish its position once in orbit. The device acquired a known star through its optics, and provided data on that acquisition to the Shuttle's on-board inertial measurement unit and computer to fix the orbiter's position.

This cover protected a star tracker that flew on the Space Shuttle Columbia for its maiden mission in April 1981 and on 15 subsequent flights.

NASA transferred this object to the Museum in 2000.

 Display Status

This object is not on display at the National Air and Space Museum. It is either on loan or in storage.
Object Details
Country of Origin United States of America Type INSTRUMENTS-Miscellaneous Manufacturer Ball Aerospace Systems Division
 Dimensions 3-D (Large cover): 36.2 × 31.7 × 10.2cm (1 ft. 2 1/4 in. × 1 ft. 1/2 in. × 4 in.)
3-D (Small Cover): 17.3 × 14.6 × 1.3cm (6 13/16 × 5 3/4 × 1/2 in.)
3-D (Pink Block): 18.4 × 17.1 × 6.3cm, 1.4kg (7 1/4 × 6 3/4 × 2 1/2 in., 3lb.)
 Materials Plastic
Aluminum
Anodized Aluminum
Unknown Metal
Steel
 Inventory Number A20000361003 Credit Line Transferred from NASA Data Source National Air and Space Museum Restrictions & Rights Usage conditions apply
For more information, visit the Smithsonians Terms of Use.