Shuttle to space station transfer of the materials exposure facility

The Materials Exposure Facility (MEF) is being proposed by LaRC as the first long-term space materials exposure facility with real-time interaction with materials experiments in actual conditions of orbital space flight. The MEF is proposed as a Space Station external payload dedicated to technology advancement in spacecraft materials and coatings research. This paper will define a set of potential logistics for removing the MEF from the Shuttle cargo bay and the process required for transferring the MEF to a specific external payload site on Space Station Freedom (SSF). The SSF UF-2 configuration is used for this study. The kinematics and ability to successfully perform the appropriate MEF maneuvers required were verified. During completion of this work, the Space Station was redesigned and the International Space Station Alpha (ISSA) configuration evolved. The transfer procedure for SSF was valid for ISSA; however, a verification of kinematics and clearances was essential. Also, SSF and ISSA robotic interfaces with the Orbiter were different.