WEBVTT

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Music.

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How are payloads installed on the Space Shuttle orbiter?

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Now the payload bay is usually filled with one, two, or sometimes even more payloads.

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Each payload we fly on the Space Shuttle is unique and different. They have different electrical, mechanical, fluid and data connections.

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So after every mission, once the orbiter lands, we take it back to the Orbiter Processing Facility.

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We take all the stuff out of the payload bay that you see above that white liner and prepare for the new payload.

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We put the new electrical, data, fluid, mechanical connections in, and then we're ready to put the payload in.

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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

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that actually comes in and encloses the orbiter. And then we have some payload bay doors on there that will open up,

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and this thing called the Payload Ground Handling Mechanism, or the PGHM, will actually take the payload that's been installed

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and insert it into the orbiter.The orbiter will grab it with its payload retention devices.

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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.

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And that's how we get the payloads into the orbiter.

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