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.