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Canada's Contribution to the ISS
posted: 07:01 pm ET
14 October 1999
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The Canadian Space Agency is providing the ISS with a mechanical arm so strong that it can lift a Space Shuttle with a fully-loaded cargo bay arriving from Earth
Mobile Servicing System The Canadian Space Agency is providing the ISS with a mechanical arm so strong that it can lift a space shuttle with a fully-loaded cargo bay arriving from Earth. The 55-foot arm is just one part of the Mobile Servicing System, which will do maintenance and repairs for the ISS. The Mobile Servicing System is scheduled to be delivered and installed on the space station in pieces: the arm on assembly flight 6A in July 2000; the base on UF-2 in May 2001; the hand on UF-4 in May 2002. The three parts are: Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) The next generation Canadarm is a bigger, better, smarter version of the space shuttle's robotic arm. It is 17-meters long when fully extended and has seven motorized joints. This arm is capable of handling large payloads and assisting with docking the space shuttle. The SSRMS is self-relocatable with a Latching End Effector, so it can be attached to complementary ports spread throughout the station's exterior surfaces. Mobile Base System (MBS) A work platform that moves along rails covering the length of the space station, the MBS will provide lateral mobility for the Canadarm as it traverses the main trusses. Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM) The SPDM, or Canada Hand, is a smaller two-armed robot capable of handling the delicate assembly tasks currently handled by astronauts during spacewalks. [source: NASA]
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