Multi-Purpose Logistics Module

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Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module in the loading bay of the Discovery during the STS-102 mission
Raffaello Multi-Purpose Logistics Module docked on the ISS during STS-114 mission
Cosmonaut Yuri Gidsenko inside the Leonardo module

The multi-purpose logistics module ( MPLM ; German  multi-purpose logistics module ) was used in space shuttle missions boxes to and from the International Space Station to transport (ISS) in a under air pressure chamber.

function

The module was attached to the shuttle in its loading bay during transport. After docking with the ISS, the MPLM was lifted out of the loading bay with the aid of the Canadarm2 robotic arm and coupled to the Unity module. Then the hatch of the module was opened and the astronauts were given access to the MPLM in order to unload it and load it with the cargo to be brought to Earth. Before the shuttle left the station, the module was reattached to the cargo bay and then returned to Earth with the space shuttle.

The main advantage of this procedure was that the goods to be transported, especially the so-called International Standard Payload Racks , could be loaded directly from the MPLM into the American part of the station. Coupling adapters of the APAS type of Russian design, which are also used for docking the space shuttle, have a much smaller diameter and do not allow the loading of bulky objects. Furthermore, the use of the MPLM made it possible to transport unnecessary equipment and completed experiments back to Earth. Other transport ships such as the unmanned Progress and ATV freighters burn up when they re-enter and therefore only transport rubbish from the station.

Spaceship progress Space Shuttle with MPLM ATV HTV
HTV-X 		Dragon 1
Dragon 2 		Cygnus Tianzhou Dream chaser
Starting capacity 2.2-2.4 t 9 t 7.7 t 6.0 t
5.8 t 		6.0 t 2.0 t (2013)
3.5 t (2015)
3.75 t (2019) 		6.5 t 5.5 t
Landing capacity 150 kg (with VBK-Raduga ) 9 t - 20 kg (from HTV-7) 3.0 t - - 1.75 t
Special
skills 		Reboost,
fuel transfer 		Transport of ISPR,
transport of external loads,
station construction,
reboost 		Reboost,
fuel transfer 		Transportation of ISPR ,
transportation of external loads 		Transportation of ISPR,
transportation of external loads 		Transport of ISPR Fuel transfer
carrier Soyuz STS Ariane 5 H-2B
H3 		Falcon 9 Antares / Atlas 5 Long March 7 Vulcan
Start-up costs
(rough information) 		$ 65 million $ 450 million $ 600 million HTV: $ 300-320 million $ 150/230 million

(Dragon 1/2)

$ 260/220 million (Cygnus 2/3)
Manufacturer RKK Energija Alenia Spazio (MPLM) Airbus Defense and Space Mitsubishi Electric SpaceX Orbital Sciences CAST Sierra Nevada
Period of use since 1978 2001-2011 2008-2015 2009–2020
from 2022 		2012–2020
from 2020 		since 2014 since 2017 from 2021

italic = planned

The NASA had with the Italian space agency ASI given three MPLMs in order. The modules were all manufactured by Alenia Spazio in Turin and were given the names of important people in Italian history: Leonardo was delivered to NASA in August 1998 and named after Leonardo da Vinci . Raffaello followed a year later; it is named after the famous painter Raffaello Sanzio . Donatello , the third module, was delivered to the Kennedy Space Center in February 2001 and named in honor of the sculptor Donato di Niccolò di Betto Bardi .

Donatello is the only MPLM that has the necessary equipment to carry out so-called "active" missions, during which the payload in the MPLM could be powered by the orbiter. However, Donatello was never used.

Permanent Multipurpose Module (PMM)

In collaboration with the Italian space agency, NASA modified the MPLM Leonardo . For the permanent stay on the ISS, the shields against space debris and micrometeorites had to be reinforced. In addition, components that are no longer required have been removed from the module in order to be able to transport more freight. On February 24, 2011, the PMM was transported from the space shuttle Discovery to the ISS and assembled there. Since then, the module has served as work, living and storage space for the astronauts.

On May 27, 2015, the PMM was relocated from the nadir connector of the Unity module to the bow connector of the Tranquility module using a manipulator arm. This made the nadir coupling unit on Unity free for unmanned transport spaceships.

MPLM specification

  • Length: 6.4 meters
  • Diameter: 4.6 meters
  • Volume: 31 cubic meters
  • Mass without load: 4.1 tons
  • Mass with maximum payload: 13.2 tons

(Each MPLM was designed for a maximum of 25 deployments within 10 years)

List of shuttle launches with MPLM

Start date mission Shuttle MPLM
March 8, 2001 STS-102 Discovery Leonardo
April 19, 2001 STS-100 Endeavor Raffaello
August 10, 2001 STS-105 Discovery Leonardo
December 5, 2001 STS-108 Endeavor Raffaello
June 5, 2002 STS-111 Endeavor Leonardo
July 26, 2005 STS-114 Discovery Raffaello
4th July 2006 STS-121 Discovery Leonardo
November 15, 2008 STS-126 Endeavor Leonardo
August 29, 2009 STS-128 Discovery Leonardo
April 5, 2010 STS-131 Discovery Leonardo
February 24, 2011 STS-133 Discovery Leonardo (modified, stayed with the ISS)
July 8, 2011 STS-135 Atlantis Raffaello

See also

Web links

Commons : Multi-Purpose Logistics Module  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ HTV-X on Gunter's Space Page, accessed on September 24, 2019.
  2. ↑ a b Dragon. SpaceX. In: spacex.com. Archived from the original on July 14, 2016 ; accessed on September 22, 2019 (English).
  3. ↑ a b Dragon. SpaceX. In: spacex.com. Retrieved September 22, 2019 .
  4. ^ Commercial Resupply Services. In: orbitalatk.com. Retrieved March 24, 2018 .
  5. ↑ Eric Berger: NASA to pay more for less cargo delivery to the space station. April 27, 2018, accessed September 22, 2019 .
  6. ^ Antares launches Cygnus cargo spacecraft on first CRS-2 mission . Spacenews, November 2, 2019.
  7. ^ A b Sierra Nevada firms up Atlas V Missions for Dream Chaser Spacecraft, gears up for Flight Testing. In: Spaceflight 101 July 9, 2017, accessed September 22, 2019 .
  8. ↑ Bernd Leitenberger: Progress. In: bernd-leitenberger.de. Retrieved March 24, 2018 .
  9. ↑ How much does it cost to launch a Space Shuttle? NASA, March 23, 2019, accessed March 23, 2019 .
  10. ↑ Stephen Clark: Fourth ATV attached to Ariane 5 launcher. In: spaceflightnow.com. Retrieved March 24, 2018 .
  11. ↑ Stephen Clark: Space station partners assess logistics needs beyond 2015. In: spaceflightnow.com. December 1, 2009, accessed March 24, 2018 .
  12. ↑ Robert Wyre: JAXA Wants ¥¥¥¥¥ for 2020 Rocket. In: majiroxnews.com. January 19, 2011, archived from the original on March 2, 2016 ; accessed on March 24, 2018 (English).
  13. ↑ a b SpaceX price hikes will make ISS cargo missions more costly . Engadget, April 27, 2018.
  14. ↑ Stephen Clark: Japan's HTV ready for launch with last set of new space station solar batteries . Spaceflight Now, May 19, 2020.
  15. ↑ a b Logistics module to be modified for new mission. December 6, 2009, accessed December 14, 2009 .