Could the space shuttle cargo bay be pressurized?

Could the space shuttle cargo bay be pressurized?

The payload bay doors do not have the structural capability to handle pressure nor do the edges have the ability to seal to contain pressure. The interior of the payload bay is only a cloth covering and the inside of the fuselage and wings are readily accessible. There is no volume that can be pressurized.

Are space shuttles airtight?

The suits are pressurized. This means that the suits are filled with oxygen. Once in their suits, astronauts breathe pure oxygen for a few hours. When astronauts are inside the spacecraft, the airlock is airtight so no air can get out.

What was the role of the payload bay on a space shuttle?

The payload bay doors were opened to help cool the shuttle after it was in orbit. The payload bay held large cargo going to the space station.

How much payload could the space shuttle carry?

The Orbiter was about 37.1 m (122 ft) long with a wingspan of about 23.8 m (78 ft). The cargo/payload carrying capacity was limited by the 18.3-m- (60-ft)-long by 4.6-m- (15-ft)- wide payload bay. The cargo/payload weighed up to 29,000 kg (65,000 pounds), depending on the desired orbital inclination.

How do spaceships stay airtight?

Spacesuits are made of lots of different layers that each protect the astronaut from a different aspect of the outside environment. Only the innermost layer – known as the bladder – is airtight. Astronauts also breathe pure oxygen so the suit can be inflated at less than a third of normal atmospheric pressure.

How do they make space suits airtight?

Two brass zippers sandwich a rubber layer: zipper, rubber, zipper. When pressurized from the inside of the spacesuit, the rubber expands and create a seal between the two zippers.

What is stored in the payload bay?

The cargo bay is a space 15 ft (4.5 m) wide by 60 ft (18 m) long in which the shuttle’s payloads—the modules or satellites that it ports to orbit or back to Earth— are stored. The cargo bay can hold up to about 65,000 lb (30,000 kg) during ascent, and about half that amount during descent.

What payload means?

Definition of payload 1 : the load carried by a vehicle exclusive of what is necessary for its operation especially : the load carried by an aircraft or spacecraft consisting of things (such as passengers or instruments) necessary to the purpose of the flight. 2 : the weight of a payload.

What was the significance of Christa McAuliffe?

A high school teacher, Christa McAuliffe made history when she became the first American civilian selected to go into space in 1985. On January 28, 1986, McAuliffe boarded the Challenger space shuttle in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The shuttle exploded shortly after lift-off, killing everyone on board.

Can the Space Shuttle’s payload bay be pressurized?

The shuttle bay was able to carry pressurized compartments such as the Spacelab modules, but those had to be pressurized on their own as the payload bay itself was not airtight at all.

Is the payload bay airtight?

No. The payload bay was not at all airtight, and was in fact deliberately vented to let the pressure escape as it ascended. The structure of the doors was not strong enough to hold pressure in, and any attempt to maintain a pressurized volume in the bay would have ripped them off.

How did the Space Shuttle stay in space with its doors closed?

The shuttle had a very limited ability to remain in space with its doors closed. The shuttle bay was able to carry pressurized compartments such as the Spacelab modules, but those had to be pressurized on their own as the payload bay itself was not airtight at all.

What is partially reusable launch system and spacecraft?

Partially reusable launch system and spacecraft. The Space Shuttle was a partially reusable low Earth orbital spacecraft system that was operated from 1981 to 2011 by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as part of the Space Shuttle program.