Author Topic: Help needed Identifying Orbiter part  (Read 9819 times)

Offline 7Forty7

  • Member
  • Posts: 4
  • Liked: 0
  • Likes Given: 0
Help needed Identifying Orbiter part
« on: 02/05/2009 10:03 am »
Hi Folks,
First of all a quick hello to you all as I'm new to this forum. Now I wondered if anyone might be able to help me identify the location on the Orbiter of the following part?
The scrap tag idents it as V070-197123-002, INBD FWD INSULATOR, DOOR # 9.
I've attached a photo of the item.
Thanks in advance to you all for your help,
Best wishes,
Bill

Offline Chris Bergin

Re: Help needed Identifying Orbiter part
« Reply #1 on: 02/05/2009 10:20 am »
Welcome to the site's forum Bill.

Hmmmm, first thought was "can't be" as orbiter parts are US government property, assuming this part is actually in your possession?

However, "V070..." - that sounds about right!

Searching L2 processing, the nearest I could find to the number was "V070-613695-002 - return air duct mid-deck ceiling panel" on a processing report. Might need to scan some FRR presentations.

I'd pop back on when the Americans are out of bed, and I'll go ask some of the numerous orbiter engineers we have here (unless one seems this and posts anyway).

I'm guessing your part is something to do with the thermal doors on the Main Landing Gear (MLG) just from its name....but I'm guessing out of a couple of million parts ;) First person I'll ask is one of the MEQ engineers, as the MLG is their system.

Sit tight :)
« Last Edit: 02/05/2009 10:23 am by Chris Bergin »
Support NSF via L2 -- Help improve NSF -- Site Rules/Feedback/Updates
**Not a L2 member? Whitelist this forum in your adblocker to support the site and ensure full functionality.**

Offline Justin Space

  • Extreme Veteran
  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1368
  • England
  • Liked: 91
  • Likes Given: 293
Re: Help needed Identifying Orbiter part
« Reply #2 on: 02/05/2009 10:25 am »
It's going to be a race between Bob and Jim I reckon ;D If anyone knows, they will.

And yeah, won't the FBI come knocking on/down your door if you have orbiter hardware in your front room? ;)

Offline 7Forty7

  • Member
  • Posts: 4
  • Liked: 0
  • Likes Given: 0
Re: Help needed Identifying Orbiter part
« Reply #3 on: 02/05/2009 10:41 am »
Thanks Guys! I'd spotted it on one of the various collectors sites on the web. As there was very little info on it I thought this is definately the place to ask.
Justin, are those the Guys generally dressed in black suits and shades??

Bill

Offline SimonShuttle

  • Elite Veteran
  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1795
  • Manchester, England
  • Liked: 44
  • Likes Given: 89
Re: Help needed Identifying Orbiter part
« Reply #4 on: 02/05/2009 10:45 am »
I'll be shocked if one of the United Space Alliance or NASA guys won't know. They might be able to just type in the VO number into a computer in an OPF for starters.

Bit early anyway, site's very quiet as it's not even 7am at KSC.

Offline gomorrha

  • Full Member
  • *
  • Posts: 176
  • Liked: 0
  • Likes Given: 0
Re: Help needed Identifying Orbiter part
« Reply #5 on: 02/05/2009 10:54 am »
Google says:

High Temperature Insulator flown on Orbiter Columbia (OV-102)
This Inboard Forward High Temperature Insulator was flown on STS - 94 (Columbia - OV102) from 7/1 - 7/17/1997.  It may well have  flown on  prior  flights as the NASA documentation indicates it was removed from the orbiter one month following STS - 94 and prior to the flight of STS-87 in November of that year. This substantial piece of flown material measures  6.75" long x 2" high x .75" thick.   It is accompanied by a NASA Unserviceable Tag along with matching serial nos.


Offline rsnellenberger

  • Amateur wood butcher
  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 838
  • Harbor Springs, Michigan
  • Liked: 371
  • Likes Given: 55
Re: Help needed Identifying Orbiter part
« Reply #6 on: 02/05/2009 12:58 pm »
"S/N 001" on the part -- interesting.

Offline collectSPACE

  • The Source for Space History & Artifacts
  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1874
  • Houston, TX
    • collectSPACE
  • Liked: 287
  • Likes Given: 5
Re: Help needed Identifying Orbiter part
« Reply #7 on: 02/05/2009 02:09 pm »
Hmmmm, first thought was "can't be" as orbiter parts are US government property, assuming this part is actually in your possession?

Spent shuttle parts are scrapped and sold off through surplus sales: http://surplus.ksc.nasa.gov/

It used to be more common that the parts were scrapped with their tags intact, allowing knowledgeable scrap metal dealers and collectors to at least learn when the part was removed and from what orbiter, allowing a "last flight" status as described in the Google result above.

So as long as a part was obtained legally, is documented as scrapped and you have the deaccession paperwork, it is legal to own. (There may be further limitations preventing export of the part outside of the U.S., but that's a separate issue.)
« Last Edit: 02/05/2009 02:17 pm by collectSPACE »

Offline robertross

  • Canadian Member
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 17939
  • Westphal, Nova Scotia
  • Liked: 659
  • Likes Given: 7688
Re: Help needed Identifying Orbiter part
« Reply #8 on: 02/05/2009 03:42 pm »
Hmmmm, first thought was "can't be" as orbiter parts are US government property, assuming this part is actually in your possession?

Spent shuttle parts are scrapped and sold off through surplus sales: http://surplus.ksc.nasa.gov/

It used to be more common that the parts were scrapped with their tags intact, allowing knowledgeable scrap metal dealers and collectors to at least learn when the part was removed and from what orbiter, allowing a "last flight" status as described in the Google result above.

So as long as a part was obtained legally, is documented as scrapped and you have the deaccession paperwork, it is legal to own. (There may be further limitations preventing export of the part outside of the U.S., but that's a separate issue.)

Wow, didn't know you could get that kind of stuff.
Of course, being from Canada, I don't have a chance of getting it. Still good to know.

Offline Chris Bergin

Re: Help needed Identifying Orbiter part
« Reply #9 on: 02/05/2009 05:55 pm »
Hmmmm, first thought was "can't be" as orbiter parts are US government property, assuming this part is actually in your possession?

Spent shuttle parts are scrapped and sold off through surplus sales: http://surplus.ksc.nasa.gov/

It used to be more common that the parts were scrapped with their tags intact, allowing knowledgeable scrap metal dealers and collectors to at least learn when the part was removed and from what orbiter, allowing a "last flight" status as described in the Google result above.

So as long as a part was obtained legally, is documented as scrapped and you have the deaccession paperwork, it is legal to own. (There may be further limitations preventing export of the part outside of the U.S., but that's a separate issue.)

Thanks Robert, had no idea there was such a site!
Support NSF via L2 -- Help improve NSF -- Site Rules/Feedback/Updates
**Not a L2 member? Whitelist this forum in your adblocker to support the site and ensure full functionality.**

Offline Ronsmytheiii

  • Moderator
  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 23394
  • Liked: 1879
  • Likes Given: 1023
Re: Help needed Identifying Orbiter part
« Reply #10 on: 02/05/2009 06:08 pm »
How about scrap material?  Say an exhibit with a NASA educator included a shuttle tile that was flaking off material, would it be illegal to collect that material instead of letting it go into the trash?
« Last Edit: 02/05/2009 06:52 pm by Ronsmytheiii »

Offline gomorrha

  • Full Member
  • *
  • Posts: 176
  • Liked: 0
  • Likes Given: 0
Re: Help needed Identifying Orbiter part
« Reply #11 on: 02/05/2009 06:44 pm »
If I understand it correctly that part belongs to vent door no. 9.

Maybe some of the guys who know more than "The Shuttle is a spaceship" can put the link below into something understandable for earthbound people.

http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/technology/sts-newsref/stsref-toc.html#sts_purge

Offline DMeader

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 959
  • Liked: 103
  • Likes Given: 48
Re: Help needed Identifying Orbiter part
« Reply #12 on: 02/05/2009 07:09 pm »
If I understand it correctly that part belongs to vent door no. 9.

Maybe some of the guys who know more than "The Shuttle is a spaceship" can put the link below into something understandable for earthbound people.

http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/technology/sts-newsref/stsref-toc.html#sts_purge

Pretty simple actually. As the first paragraph states, any interior void space not designed for the pressure differential needs to be vented to vacuum on the way up,  and matching pressure must be restored on the way down. Also there has to be a way to purge said void spaces of accumulations of potentially hazardous gases and provide thermal control. That's what the vent doors (usually seen as several black rectangles on the sides of the spacecraft below the payload bay doors in drawings) are for.
« Last Edit: 02/05/2009 07:42 pm by DMeader »

Offline gomorrha

  • Full Member
  • *
  • Posts: 176
  • Liked: 0
  • Likes Given: 0
Re: Help needed Identifying Orbiter part
« Reply #13 on: 02/05/2009 07:37 pm »
So here for another link:

http://www.raumfahrer.net/forum/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1189932711/135

Itīs in german but just scroll down till you see a picture of the Shuttle with the "United States" flag, letters and NASA logo and three small black squares in a red circle.

There you see (text says so) the opened doors 3, 5 and 6. Doors 1 and 2 are below the cockpit and 8 and 9 at the aft compartment (not in the picture). Function of the doors as described in earlier postings. Text also says that it has been determined that only 14 of the originally 18 doors are necessary to do the vent job. (18 doors = 9 on each side). So 4 doors (4, 7 (text) and 13, 16 if correctly calculated) are permanently closed.

Vent door No. 9 should be easily identified on a side view of the shuttle as it is one of only a few black squares on white background.

Offline collectSPACE

  • The Source for Space History & Artifacts
  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1874
  • Houston, TX
    • collectSPACE
  • Liked: 287
  • Likes Given: 5
Re: Help needed Identifying Orbiter part
« Reply #14 on: 02/05/2009 09:14 pm »
Say an exhibit with a NASA educator included a shuttle tile that was flaking off material, would it be illegal to collect that material instead of letting it go into the trash?

Technically, all government property remains government property until the government declares it is not government property. So, in theory, the government could come looking for those scraps and demand their return.

While this may seem a bit like overkill in the cited example, change the parameters a bit and you will see where it comes into play: instead of a shuttle tile, substitute a moon rock. And instead of a NASA educator, substitute a lab researcher.

Now suppose that researcher is authorized to do destructive testing on a sample Apollo moon rock and in the process creates shavings. At the end of his/her loan period, the rock -- and all the shavings -- must be returned to NASA. The researcher cannot keep the dust s/he created, no matter how small.

NASA's Office of the Inspector General has used the same general premise to reclaim moon dust that was removed by spacesuit technicians using pieces of tape from the Apollo suits that they were trusted with to service post-flight.

Now that said, there was a case where a flown command module accessories bag was legally transferred from the government to a contractor, which in turn then gifted the bag to an employee. The transfer was legal and documented. Years later, the former employee sold the bag at auction and the buyer noticed a gray substance staining the corners of the bag. Testing confirmed the dirt to be of lunar origin and because NASA legally relinquished the bag and its contents, the moon dust was the buyer's to own.

Offline Davie OPF

  • Member
  • Full Member
  • **
  • Posts: 257
  • Kennedy Space Center
  • Liked: 16
  • Likes Given: 6
Re: Help needed Identifying Orbiter part
« Reply #15 on: 02/05/2009 09:22 pm »
Google says:

High Temperature Insulator flown on Orbiter Columbia (OV-102)
This Inboard Forward High Temperature Insulator was flown on STS - 94 (Columbia - OV102) from 7/1 - 7/17/1997.  It may well have  flown on  prior  flights as the NASA documentation indicates it was removed from the orbiter one month following STS - 94 and prior to the flight of STS-87 in November of that year. This substantial piece of flown material measures  6.75" long x 2" high x .75" thick.   It is accompanied by a NASA Unserviceable Tag along with matching serial nos.



Previously with Discovery.
« Last Edit: 02/05/2009 09:23 pm by Davie OPF »

Offline Antares

  • ABO^2
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5181
  • Done arguing with amateurs
  • Liked: 371
  • Likes Given: 228
Re: Help needed Identifying Orbiter part
« Reply #16 on: 02/06/2009 05:15 am »
Say an exhibit with a NASA educator included a shuttle tile that was flaking off material, would it be illegal to collect that material instead of letting it go into the trash?
Technically, all government property remains government property until the government declares it is not government property. So, in theory, the government could come looking for those scraps and demand their return. ...

I think scrapped tiles used in school demos are fair game.  I remember seeing the "blowtorch on the tile then tile to the face" demo a few times in school.  My high school had a cardboard box full of scrap shuttle tiles.
If I like something on NSF, it's probably because I know it to be accurate.  Every once in a while, it's just something I agree with.  Facts generally receive the former.

Offline 7Forty7

  • Member
  • Posts: 4
  • Liked: 0
  • Likes Given: 0
Re: Help needed Identifying Orbiter part
« Reply #17 on: 02/06/2009 07:42 am »
Thanks to the guys for all the technical info. As I said I was just wondering where it lived and what it's purpose might have been. Are there any drawings/diagrams around that show the exact position?
 Best wishes,

Bill

Offline gomorrha

  • Full Member
  • *
  • Posts: 176
  • Liked: 0
  • Likes Given: 0
Re: Help needed Identifying Orbiter part
« Reply #18 on: 02/06/2009 08:59 am »
Thanks to the guys for all the technical info. As I said I was just wondering where it lived and what it's purpose might have been. Are there any drawings/diagrams around that show the exact position?
 Best wishes,

Bill

I guess that should answer your question:

http://www.shuttlepresskit.com/scom/217.pdf

Offline Columbia VPE

  • Member
  • Posts: 1
  • Liked: 0
  • Likes Given: 0
Re: Help needed Identifying Orbiter part
« Reply #19 on: 02/09/2009 02:20 pm »
The part number tell a lot about this piece of hardware.

"V070-" signifies that this is flight hardware.
the first two digits identify the Orbiter subsystem .  in this case "-19xxxx" identifies the hardware as belonging to the Wing Thermal Protection System.  Usually odd numbered parts (the 7) were for the left side of the Orbiter.
There are only a few places this part could have been - behind the wing RCC leading edge or inside the wing/elevon interface.  There were no such high temp insulation in the wing elevon area, but there were high temp insulation parts on the forward edge of the wing spar (behind the RCC leading edge).  These were part of the rather complicated high temperature attachment hardware (and related insulation blankets encased in steel foil) used to attach the RCC leading edge to the wing spar (aluminum). This part is most likely is part of the left wing RCC attachment hardware.  The Orbiter fuselage vent doors did not have any such high temp insulation blankets - and they would have had a different part number (for the PV&D subsystem).

Tags:
 

Advertisement NovaTech
Advertisement Northrop Grumman
Advertisement
Advertisement Margaritaville Beach Resort South Padre Island
Advertisement Brady Kenniston
Advertisement NextSpaceflight
Advertisement Nathan Barker Photography
1