View of the Canadarm during a Space Shuttle mission

The Remote Manipulator System (RMS) on the Space Shuttle, also known as the Canadarm, is an electromechanical arm that maneuvers a payload from the payload bay of the space shuttle orbiter to its deployment position and then releases it. It can also grapple a free-flying payload, maneuver it to the payload bay of the orbiter and berth it in the orbiter. It was first used on the second Space Shuttle mission STS-2, launched November 13, 1981. Since the destruction of Space Shuttle Columbia during STS-107, NASA has outfitted the RMS with the Orbital Boom Sensor System - a boom containing instruments to inspect the exterior of the shuttle for damage to the thermal protection system. It is expected the RMS will play this role in all future shuttle missions. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2040x1980, 1480 KB)View of the Canadarm during a Space Shuttle mission File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2040x1980, 1480 KB)View of the Canadarm during a Space Shuttle mission File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The Space Shuttle Columbia seconds after engine ignition, 1981 (NASA). ... The Space Shuttle Columbia seconds after engine ignition, 1981 (NASA). ... STS-2 was a space shuttle mission by NASA using the Space Shuttle Columbia, launched November 12, 1981. ... November 13 is the 317th day of the year (318th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 48 days remaining. ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Shuttle debris falling over Texas, on Time cover The Space Shuttle Columbia disaster was the disintegration of the Space Shuttle Columbia over Texas on February 1, 2003, during reentry into the Earths atmosphere on its 28th mission, STS-107. ... Space Shuttle Columbia (NASA Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-102) was the first space shuttle in NASAs orbital fleet. ... The STS-107 crewmembers strike a ‘flying’ pose for their traditional in-flight crew portrait in the SPACEHAB aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Orbital Boom Sensor System (OBSS) is a 50 foot boom terminating in an instrumentation package attached to the Remote Manipulator System of NASAs Space Shuttle spacecraft. ... The Space Shuttle Thermal Protection System (TPS) is the barrier that protects the space shuttle during the searing 3000° F (1649° C) heat of atmospheric reentry. ...

The RMS arm is 50 feet 3 inches (15 m) long and 15 inches (380 mm) in diameter and has six degrees of freedom. It weighs 905 pounds (410 kg), and the total system weighs 994 pounds (450 kg). The RMS has six joints that correspond roughly to the joints of the human arm, with shoulder yaw and pitch joints; an elbow pitch joint; and wrist pitch, yaw, and roll joints. The end effector is the unit at the end of the wrist that actually grabs, or grapples, the payload. The two lightweight boom segments are called the upper and lower arms. The upper boom connects the shoulder and elbow joints, and the lower boom connects the elbow and wrist joints. The RMS arm attaches to the orbiter payload bay longeron at the shoulder manipulator positioning mechanism. Power and data connections are located at the shoulder MPM. In mechanical engineering, aeronautical engineering and robotics, degrees of freedom (DOF) describes flexibility of motion. ... In the physical sciences, weight by Definition VIII, per Newtons Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy or Principia, is an upward force exerted on matter to deny the body from entering freefall as a result of gravity, a centripetal accleration field. ...

The RMS is capable of deploying or retrieving payloads weighing up to 65,000 pounds (29 t) when in space, though the arm motors are unable to move the arm's own weight under the influence of Earth's gravity. The RMS can also retrieve, repair and deploy satellites; provide a mobile extension ladder for extravehicular activity crew members for work stations or foot restraints; and be used as an inspection aid to allow the flight crew members to view the orbiter's or payload's surfaces through a television camera on the RMS.

The basic RMS configuration consists of a manipulator arm; an RMS display and control panel, including rotational and translational hand controllers at the orbiter aft flight deck flight crew station; and a manipulator controller interface unit that interfaces with the orbiter computer. Most of the time the arm operators see what they are doing by looking at the Advanced Space Vision System screen next to the controllers. The Advanced Space Vision System (also known as the Space Vision System or by its acronym SVS) is a laser based computer generated three dimensional vision system used to manipulate any object within or without the Space Shuttle bay using the Canadarm or assemble International Space Station (ISS) components and...

One flight crew member operates the RMS from the aft flight deck control station, and a second flight crew member usually assists with television camera operations. This allows the RMS operator to view RMS operations through the aft flight deck payload and overhead windows and through the closed-circuit television monitors at the aft flight deck station.

Spar Aerospace Ltd., a Canadian company, designed, developed, tested and built the RMS. CAE Electronics Ltd. in Montreal provides electronic interfaces, servoamplifiers and power conditioners. Dilworth, Secord, Meagher and Associates Ltd. in Toronto is responsible for the RMS end effector. Rockwell International's Space Transportation Systems Division designed, developed, tested and built the systems used to attach the RMS to the payload bay of the orbiter. City motto: Concordia Salus (Latin: Well-being through harmony) Province Quebec Mayor Gérald Tremblay Area  - % water 366. ... Rockwell International was the ultimate incarnation of a series of companies under the sphere of influence of Willard Rockwell, who had made his fortune after the invention and successful launch of a new bearing system for truck axles in 1919. ...

See also

• Canadarm2, a robotic arm that is part of the International Space Station's Mobile Servicing System
• European Robotic Arm, a second robotic arm to be installed on the ISS
• Space Shuttle program

ISS Canadarm2 (NASA) The Mobile Servicing System (MSS) is a robotic arm and associated equipment on the International Space Station that plays a key role in station assembly and maintenance: moving equipment and supplies around the station, supporting astronauts working in space, and servicing instruments and other payloads attached to... International Space Station insignia ISS Statistics Crew: 2 As of March 5, 2006 Perigee: 352. ... ISS Canadarm2 (NASA) Canadarm2 (left) on the ISS The Mobile Servicing System (MSS) is a robotic arm and associated equipment on the International Space Station that plays a key role in station assembly and maintenance: moving equipment and supplies around the station, supporting astronauts working in space, and servicing instruments... Computer model of the ERA at work on the ISS payload mounting units that arm can not be used on the Russian part of the ISS. The ERA project is very international. ... The Space Shuttle Columbia seconds after engine ignition, April 12, 1981 (NASA). ...

External links

• http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/technology/sts-newsref/sts-caws.html#sts-deploy

• http://www.space.gc.ca/asc/eng/exploration/canadarm/default.asp