Lighting Systems for Space Shuttle Orbiter and Spacelab

Abstract

A technical paper presented in this Journal in 1975 discussed the interior illumination of the flight deck of the Space Shuttle Orbiter. Almost two years later, August 12, 1977, millions of people witnessed the first Orbiter—named Enterprise—make its first free-flight landing. In those two years the development and design of other Orbiter illumination subsystems has progressed to final design configurations. The authors propose to extend the discussion of interior illumination to cover floodlighting of the lower center control console on the flight deck, lighting of the living quarters of the crew, and illumination of the airlock module. The harsh, hostile, space ambient conditions external to the Orbiter will be discussed in detail to establish the special requirements placed on designs of external lighting systems such as the overhead docking floodlight, floodlights attached to remotely-controlled manipulator arms used to move cargo, and floodlights located in the cargo bay. Finally, a brief description of the lighting of Spacelab will relate its systems to those of the Orbiter in which it will be carried aloft. The location of these items is shown in Figure 1.