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How are payloads installed on the Space Shuttle orbiter?
Now the payload bay is usually filled with one, two, or sometimes even more payloads.
Each payload we fly on the Space Shuttle is unique and different. They have different electrical, mechanical, fluid and data connections.
So after every mission, once the orbiter lands, we take it back to the Orbiter Processing Facility.
We take all the stuff out of the payload bay that you see above that white liner and prepare for the new payload.
We put the new electrical, data, fluid, mechanical connections in, and then we're ready to put the payload in.
Now most payloads are installed in the orbiter out at the pad, believe it or not. We have a very large structure called the Rotating Service Structure
that actually comes in and encloses the orbiter. And then we have some payload bay doors on there that will open up,
and this thing called the Payload Ground Handling Mechanism, or the PGHM, will actually take the payload that's been installed
and insert it into the orbiter.The orbiter will grab it with its payload retention devices.
The Payload Ground Handling Mechanism, or the PGHM, will release it, retract, we close all the payload bay doors and now you're ready to go fly.
And that's how we get the payloads into the orbiter.
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