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Orbiter Attach Points by National Geographic from the GigaPan Space Shuttle Atlantis In Exploration Park by National Geographic
Atlantis is attached to the Orbiter Transport System (OTS) at the same three attachment points used to secure her to both the 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft during ferry-flight transports and the External Tank during launch.
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Payload Bay Door Supports by National Geographic from the GigaPan Space Shuttle Atlantis In Exploration Park by National Geographic
Because the doors to the Payload Bay were only designed for a zero-gravity environment, they require exoskeleton supports and cranes to be operated on Earth. These bars were left in place because Atlantis will be displayed at the KSC Visitor Center with these doors open.
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Driver's Seat by National Geographic from the GigaPan Space Shuttle Atlantis In Exploration Park by National Geographic
The 76-wheel Orbiter Transport System (OTS) is driven from this two seater cab. Weighing 167,000 lbs, the OTS is 13,000 lbs heavier than Atlantis.
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Shuttle Xing Sign by National Geographic from the GigaPan Space Shuttle Atlantis In Exploration Park by National Geographic
Made popular during Space Shuttle Endeavour's transport through Los Angeles, these signs were again a big hit around Atlantis.
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Glass Cockpit by National Geographic from the GigaPan Space Shuttle Endeavour Flight Deck (Powered-Up) by National Geographic
During Endeavour’s last major modification period between 2003 and 2005, the orbiter received several major hardware and safety upgrades. This included a glass cockpit system replacing 32 traditional analog gauges with eleven full-color electronic instrument displays. The system is common on commercial aircraft and allowed the shuttle crew to focus with greater efficiency on only the flight information necessary for a specific part of the mission.
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Mission Clock by National Geographic from the GigaPan Space Shuttle Endeavour Flight Deck (Powered-Up) by National Geographic
The mission clock starts rolling at liftoff and is the basis for time aboard an orbiting space shuttle. After landing, it’s reset as part of preparations for the next mission, starting over again at launch. Because Endeavour will never have another mission to space, every time the power was turned on the clock continues from STS -134. The longest shuttle mission was 17 days, 15 hours, 53 minutes, and 18 seconds, far shorter than the 60+ days recorded here.
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OPF Radio Box by National Geographic from the GigaPan Space Shuttle Endeavour Flight Deck (Powered-Up) by National Geographic
To talk between Endeavour and the Launch Control Center, communications boxes like these were temporarily installed on the Flight Deck. They received power from outside of the orbiter and were removed before it left the processing facility. Without them, coordinated operations in an orbiter without electricity wouldn’t be possible.
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Lighting Controls by National Geographic from the GigaPan Space Shuttle Endeavour Flight Deck (Powered-Up) by National Geographic
These knobs and switches control part of the Flight Deck lighting when the orbiter was powered up. The lights behind every switch and fuse created a lot of heat but nothing compared to the running computers, all requiring a cooling system. Inside of the Crew Module, the coolant loop contained water because it wouldn’t be hazardous to the crew unlike the Freon used in the remainder of the orbiter. As part of the decommissioning process, both required draining for safe museum display so Endeavour can never again be powered up.
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Power Controls by National Geographic from the GigaPan Space Shuttle Endeavour Flight Deck (Powered-Up) by National Geographic
A powered-up space shuttle orbiter is controlled from both the Launch Control Center and from onboard the orbiter. These controls to the right of the Pilot’s seat keep the electricity flowing to the necessary computers and life-support systems. When circuits are open, the instruments inform whether something is “on” or “off” and as they power down, they physically move and click to the off position as either the LCC or someone onboard flips switches.
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American Flag by National Geographic from the GigaPan Space Shuttle Endeavour Payload Bay by National Geographic
An American flag decorates the aft bulkhead of the Payload Bay and was often photographed from the Crew Module during spacewalks, satellite deployment, and periods of International Space Station construction.
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Airlock by National Geographic from the GigaPan Space Shuttle Endeavour Payload Bay by National Geographic
In 1997, Endeavour was fitted with this external airlock. Prior to then, the orbiter’s airlock was internal taking up a considerable amount of the Mid-deck. Having an external airlock sacrificed several feet of space in the Payload Bay but allowed access vertically to the International Space Station under construction.
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Payload Power Source by National Geographic from the GigaPan Space Shuttle Endeavour Payload Bay by National Geographic
Satellites and other payloads received electricity from Endeavour’s APUs through these attachments.
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Payload Attachment Point by National Geographic from the GigaPan Space Shuttle Endeavour Payload Bay by National Geographic
Payloads were secured into the Payload Bay at attachment points like these. Others were located at the bottom of the bay to provide multiple points of contact for fragile payloads during the violence of launch and reentry.
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Payload Bay by National Geographic from the GigaPan Space Shuttle Endeavour Airlock by National Geographic
Two NASA workers prepare for the removal of a spherical fuel tank from below that cloth interior of the Payload Bay. Such materials can be used in future spacecraft and will not be part of Endeavour’s museum display.
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Mid-deck Passageway by National Geographic from the GigaPan Space Shuttle Endeavour Airlock by National Geographic
The airlock connects to Endeavour’s Crew Module through this hatch from the original, interior airlock. Visible beyond is a wall of computers against the Crew Module’s forward bulkhead. This hatch would be closed during “camp outs” prior to spacewalks to allow astronauts to purge extra nitrogen from their systems.
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Payload Bay Hatch by National Geographic from the GigaPan Space Shuttle Endeavour Airlock by National Geographic
Preparations for EVAs (Extra-Vehicular Activities or spacewalks) we made in the airlock. EVA suits, weighing 124.7kg (275 pounds) each, were stored here for launch. Prior to the spacewalk, astronauts would sleep out overnight in the airlock at a lower air pressure than the Crew Module, helping flush their body of nitrogen to prevent “the bends”. They exited the airlock into the Payload Bay through this hatch.
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Space Station Hatch by National Geographic from the GigaPan Space Shuttle Endeavour Airlock by National Geographic
Directly above, this hatch connected to the Harmony Module of the International Space Station and provided access between the two. In 2006, Endeavour was also fitted with the Space Shuttle Power Transfer System (SSPTS) to utilize the ISS as a power source that allowed shuttle missions to stretch an additional three to four days.
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Spilled Coffee by National Geographic from the GigaPan Space Shuttle Endeavour Flight Deck (Powered-Down) by National Geographic
In zero gravity, food and liquids spill easily and can end up on any surface. This stain, likely from coffee, hangs on the ceiling over the Pilot’s seat, a remnant from Endeavour’s final mission in May 2011.
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Commander's Joystick by National Geographic from the GigaPan Space Shuttle Endeavour Flight Deck (Powered-Down) by National Geographic
Commander Mark Kelly used this joystick control to land Endeavour’s final mission in May of 2011. He had flown once previously as Endeavour’s Pilot and twice as Pilot and then Commander of Discovery. That final mission came just four months after the attempted assassination of his wife Rep. Gabrielle Giffords.
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Canadarm Controls by National Geographic from the GigaPan Space Shuttle Endeavour Flight Deck (Powered-Down) by National Geographic
The Shuttle Remote Manipulator System (SRMS) or more fondly the Canadarm (a combination of the words Canada and arm) was controlled using these hand controllers, switches and computer screens. The crewmember responsible for its operation would Velcro their feet to the floor at this station and use the windows and television cameras to deploy or retrieve payloads of up to 293 tons (586,000 pounds). Besides twelve missions assembling the International Space Station, Endeavour performed the first Hubble Space Telescope service mission by capturing the broken telescope with these controls.
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Heads-up Display by National Geographic from the GigaPan Space Shuttle Endeavour Flight Deck (Powered-Down) by National Geographic
This Heads-up display (HUD) allowed the Commander landing Endeavour to see important information displayed at eye level without having to look down at other controls. The angled pieces of glass transparently featured runway, ground speed, and vector of descent information amongst other required data for a safe landing.
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Emergency Evacuation Gear by National Geographic from the GigaPan Space Shuttle Endeavour Flight Deck (Powered-Down) by National Geographic
There are two options after landing for an emergency crew evacuation: exiting by the main hatch on the Mid-deck or using a window rigged with explosives on the Flight Deck. Once this window has been blown free of the spacecraft, numbered bags of line allow each astronaut to climb out the top of the orbiter and belay down the side to safety.
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Exposed Structure by National Geographic from the GigaPan Interior Fuselage of Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) 905 by National Geographic
Structural aluminum elements of an aircraft are often painted green but then covered with decorative plastic paneling. To save weight, anything unnecessary was removed, leaving behind little more than green aluminum, control wiring, and air ducts in most of the 747's interior.
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Exterior Photographs by National Geographic from the GigaPan Interior Fuselage of Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) 905 by National Geographic
Images of the SCA in action carrying orbiters from Edwards Air Force Base back to Kennedy Space Center.
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Cargo Hold Hatch by National Geographic from the GigaPan Interior Fuselage of Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) 905 by National Geographic
An open hatch leading down to the cargo hold. When an orbiter isn't being flown on top, pig iron must be strategically placed below to balance the aircraft.
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Control Yoke by National Geographic from the GigaPan Cockpit of Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) 905 by National Geographic
The pilot's control yoke with a brass plaque identifying the aircraft.
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Original Charts by National Geographic from the GigaPan Cockpit of Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) 905 by National Geographic
Charts detailing the flight characteristics of this 747 including how much of the flaps to lower for landing, temperature constraints, and radio frequencies.
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Pull Knob by National Geographic from the GigaPan Cockpit of Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) 905 by National Geographic
The string on a vent to release smoke in the event of a cockpit fire is decorated with a NASA Meatball logo.
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Flight Operations Manual by National Geographic from the GigaPan Cockpit of Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) 905 by National Geographic
An original manual for operating this customized 747 for flighting with a 172,000 lb passenger.
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Throttle Controls by National Geographic from the GigaPan Cockpit of Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) 905 by National Geographic
One throttle control for each of the 747's four engines.
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Vintage Photography by National Geographic from the GigaPan Interior Fuselage of Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) 905 by National Geographic
Two images from the 1970's, one of Enterprise's first test flight and the other an overhead view of Dryden Flight Research Center located at Edwards Air Force Base.
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First-Class Seating by National Geographic from the GigaPan Interior Fuselage of Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) 905 by National Geographic
The original American Airlines First-Class seating remains intact providing some seating for any passengers other than the 172,000 lb orbiter attached to the top. The spiral staircase located in the middle leads upstairs to the cockpit.
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Seated Figure by National Geographic from the GigaPan Interior Murals of Xultun Dwelling by National Geographic
Three male figures loom on this wall, all of them seated and painted in black, wearing only white loincloths, medallions around their necks and identical single-feathered, miter-style head dresses. “We haven’t seen uniform head dresses like that anywhere before,” Archaeologist Bill Saturno said. “It’s clearly a costume of some kind.” One of the figures is particularly burly, “like a sumo wrestler,” and he is labeled “Older Brother Obsidian.”
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King's Niche by National Geographic from the GigaPan Interior Murals of Xultun Dwelling by National Geographic
An off-center niche in the wall features a painting of a seated king, wearing blue feathers. A long rod made of bone mounted on the wall allowed a curtain to be pulled across the king’s portrait, hiding it.
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Glyphs by National Geographic from the GigaPan Interior Murals of Xultun Dwelling by National Geographic
Maya glyphs near the face of the central figure call him “Younger Brother Obsidian,” a curious title seldom seen in Maya text.
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Face Sketch by National Geographic from the GigaPan Interior Murals of Xultun Dwelling by National Geographic
Various sketches of faces can be found on the walls, including this one on the north wall.
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Tail Cone by National Geographic from the GigaPan Space Shuttle Discovery in Museum Hangar by National Geographic
The tail cone of the space shuttle is placed on the rear of the shuttle during transport. Eventually, it will be removed from Discovery exposing the replica three main engines that were installed as part of her decommissioning process at Kennedy Space Center.
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Tow Vehicle by National Geographic from the GigaPan Space Shuttle Discovery in Museum Hangar by National Geographic
The tow vehicle that towed both space shuttle Discovery and Enterprise is a standard tow vehicle for commercial aircraft. It is connected to the nose wheel and both pulled Discovery into place in the hangar as well as moved both shuttles back and forth from the airport.
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Spacelab by National Geographic from the GigaPan Space Shuttle Discovery in Museum Hangar by National Geographic
Spacelab is on exhibit in the Human Spaceflight wing of the Smithsonian National Air & Space Udvar-Hazy Center. It would sit inside the payload bay of the space shuttle and serve as a functional laboratory for astronauts on orbit. Built by the European Space Agency (ESA), Spacelab flew on Discovery four times.
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Door Supports by National Geographic from the GigaPan Space Shuttle Discovery in Museum Hangar by National Geographic
The hangar door is specially designed to allow the tail of the space shuttle to pass through it. Horizontal supports were installed to provide strength to the structure and had to be removed and replaced before and after Enterprise and Discovery were moved in and out of the hangar.
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