|
|
Browse All
:
Space Shuttle Orbiter and Earth by Bruce McCandless II of Johnson Space Center (JSC)
|
Printer Friendly |
Backpacking
| Title |
Backpacking |
| Full Description |
Mission Specialist Bruce McCandless II ventured further away from the confines and safety of his ship than any previous astronaut ever has. This space first was made possible by the Manned Manuevering Unit or MMU, a nitrogen jet propelled backpack. After a series of test maneuvers inside and above Challenger's payload bay, McCandless went "free-flying" to a distance of 320 feet away from the Orbiter. The MMU is controled by joy sticks positioned at the end of the arm rests. Moving the joy sticks left or right or by pulling them fires nitrogen jet thrusters propelling McCandless in any direction he chooses. A still camera is mounted on the upper right portion of the MMU. This stunning view shows McCandless with the MMU out there amongst the black and blue of Earth and space. |
| Date |
02/11/1984 |
| NASA Center |
Johnson Space Center |
|
EVAtion
| Title |
EVAtion |
| Full Description |
Mission Specialist Bruce McCandless II, is seen further away from the confines and safety of his ship than any previous astronaut has ever been. This space first was made possible by the Manned Manuevering Unit or MMU, a nitrogen jet propelled backpack. After a series of test maneuvers inside and above Challenger's payload bay, McCandless went "free-flying" to a distance of 320 feet away from the Orbiter. This stunning orbital panorama view shows McCandless out there amongst the black and blue of Earth and space. |
| Date |
02/12/1984 |
| NASA Center |
Johnson Space Center |
|
To Fly Free in Space
| Title |
To Fly Free in Space |
| Explanation |
At about 100 meters from the cargo bay of the space shuttle Challenger, Bruce McCandless II was further out than anyone had ever been before. Guided by a Manned Maneuvering Unit [ http://www.astronautix.com/craft/shulemmu.htm ] (MMU), astronaut McCandless, pictured above [ http://grin.hq.nasa.gov/ABSTRACTS/GPN-2000-001087.html ], was floating free in space. McCandless [ http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/mccandless-b.html ] and fellow NASA astronaut [ http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/index.html ] Robert Stewart [ http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/stewart-rl.html ] were the first to experience such an "untether [ http://www-istp.gsfc.nasa.gov/Education/wtether.html ]ed space walk [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap990801.html ]" during Space Shuttle [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap990411.html ] mission 41-B [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/STS-41-B ] in 1984 [ http://www.online-literature.com/orwell/1984/ ]. The MMU [ http://galacticvoyager.com/pat/mmu/ ] works by shooting jets of nitrogen [ http://periodic.lanl.gov/elements/7.html ] and has since been used to help deploy and retrieve satellites. With a mass over 140 kilograms, an MMU is heavy on Earth [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap070325.html ], but, like everything, is weightless when drifting in orbit. The MMU was replaced with the SAFER [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap011002.html ] backpack propulsion unit. |
|
To Fly Free in Space
| Title |
To Fly Free in Space |
| Explanation |
At about 100 meters from the cargo bay of the space shuttle Challenger, Bruce McCandless II was further out than anyone had ever been before. Guided by a Manned Maneuvering Unit [ http://www.astronautix.com/craft/shulemmu.htm ] (MMU), astronaut McCandless, pictured above [ http://grin.hq.nasa.gov/ABSTRACTS/GPN-2000-001087.html ], was floating free in space. McCandless [ http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/mccandless-b.html ] and fellow NASA astronaut [ http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/index.html ] Robert Stewart [ http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/stewart-rl.html ] were the first to experience such an "untether [ http://www-istp.gsfc.nasa.gov/Education/wtether.html ]ed space walk [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap990801.html ]" during Space Shuttle [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap990411.html ] mission 41-B [ http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/chron/sts41-b.htm ] in 1984 [ http://www.online-literature.com/orwell/1984/ ]. The MMU [ http://galacticvoyager.com/pat/mmu/ ] works by shooting jets of nitrogen [ http://pearl1.lanl.gov/periodic/elements/7.html ] and has since been used to help deploy and retrieve satellites. With a mass over 140 kilograms, an MMU is heavy on Earth [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap050102.html ], but, like everything, is weightless when drifting in orbit. The MMU was replaced with the SAFER [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap011002.html ] backpack propulsion unit. |
|
|
