Canadarm2: Five Years of Success!
| Since Canadarm2 was launched five years ago, on Space Shuttle Endeavour, mission STS-100, it has been a vital part of International Space Station construction activities. Its almost unlimited mass-handling capacity has been critical when installing many station modules. These include the Quest airlock and the station's massive truss structure, some segments of which weigh as much as 14 tonnes. |
Quest airlock deployed during
STS-104/7A mission. (Photo: NASA)
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STS-114 Mission Specialist Stephen K. Robinson is attached to a foot restraint on Canadarm2 (Photo: NASA)
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Its work is not limited to large loads. Canadarm2 is a trusted platform for astronauts as they work in space. They can access hard-to-reach places because of its seven-joint flexibility and its 17-metre length. During the 2005 Return to Flight mission, an astronaut secured at the tip of the Canadarm2 demonstrated how useful this is. With his feet fixed to Canadarm2, he performed important repair work on the underside of the Space Shuttle so it could safely return to Earth.
And over these five years, Canadian engineers and scientists have been busy taking Canadarm2 to the next level. There's been a steady stream of upgrades. Ground control of Canadarm2 has been added in preparation for Dextre, the last component of Canada's contribution to the Space Station. This two-armed robot will accomplish the fine manipulation tasks that at present require an astronaut working in the harsh environment of space. Canadarm2 is more robust than the original Canadarm, too. When the free-flying logistics vehicles of the future fly by, Canadarm2 will be ready to reach out to capture and install them. |
Whether it's assembling and maintaining the Space Station, assisting in re-supply operations, or soon, working with Dextre, Canadarm2 will endure as a symbol of Canadian innovation and engineering excellence.
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