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Subject: 
Re: Trainhead gives space a whirl
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.space
Date: 
Thu, 25 Mar 2004 15:41:56 GMT
Viewed: 
1326 times
  
In lugnet.space, Duane Hess wrote:
   In lugnet.space, Jake McKee wrote:
  
One other cool thing about this container size is that it butts up against the Moonbase corridors perfectly. You can imagine containers hanging off empty connectors on a display where modules aren’t hooked into other modules.


I didn’t catch that, but way cool! What better way to unload containers than to drop them off at an airlock and pick them up later? I could almost imagine moonbase distribution centers with multiple airlocks along the sides for all of the cargo containers to be loaded/unloaded. Hmm... Interesting....

Using containers in this way is exactly the way that NASA (and the international partners) use MPLM’s (Multi-Purpose Logistics Module) on ISS (International Space Station). The shuttle carries the MPLM up in its cargo bay, the shuttle docks with ISS, then the shuttle RMS (Remote Manipulator System, or more simply the Canadian robot arm) is then used to pull the MPLM out of the payload bay and attach it to a CBM (Common Berthing Mechanism) on one of the nodes. Once the payload is unloaded (and the MPLM is loaded with trash), the RMS is used to remove the MPLM and place it in the shuttle’s cargo bay for return to earth.

Common Berthing Mechanism

Multi-Purpose Logistics Modules

STS-100, an MPLM flight

Picture of Endeavour on STS-100 with MPLM Raffaello in its payload bay

Picture of MPLM Raffaello attached to ISS

This is the first time I’ve resorted to sticking a lot of links in a Lugnet posting. Hopefully you’ll like them. They give you a good idea of how the MPLM’s are used.

Jeff



Message is in Reply To:
  Re: Trainhead gives space a whirl
 
(...) I would love to have a container standard for moonbase (or even space freighter) applications. It lends itself to a .Space container swap at large gatherings. :-) (...) I didn't catch that, but way cool! What better way to unload containers (...) (20 years ago, 24-Mar-04, to lugnet.space, FTX)

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