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    Engineers discovered that the doors would not close completely when new seals were installed on Space Shuttle discovery. To function properly, the seals must be compressed enough to seal the doors. Too much compression generates excessive loads that prevent the doors from closing.

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    NASA 122367main M-1588 seals

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    Engineers discovered that the doors would not close completely when new seals were installed on Space Shuttle discovery. To function properly, the seals must be compressed enough to seal the doors. Too much compression generates excessive loads that prevent the doors from closing.

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    32 views1 page

    NASA 122367main M-1588 Seals

    Uploaded by

    NASAdocuments
    Engineers discovered that the doors would not close completely when new seals were installed on Space Shuttle discovery. To function properly, the seals must be compressed enough to seal the doors. Too much compression generates excessive loads that prevent the doors from closing.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
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    National Aeronautics and Space Administration

    Glenn Research Center

    Return To Flight
    Shuttle Main Landing Gear Door Environmental Seals
    Team Lead: Pat Dunlap

    The Glenn Research Center (GRC) Seals Team is playing


    an important role in evaluating environmental seals for
    the main landing gear (MLG) doors of the Space Shuttle.
    Engineers at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and
    Johnson Space Center (JSC) recently discovered that the
    doors would not close completely when new seals were
    installed on Space Shuttle Discovery, a condition unac
    ceptable for flight. To function properly, the seals must
    be compressed enough to seal the doors, but too much
    compression generates excessive loads that prevent the
    doors from closing. To help solve this problem, KSC and
    JSC requested GRCʼs assistance in evaluating the seals.
    Shuttle main landing gear locations.
    KSC and JSC are also concerned that the seals become
    permanently compressed when the doors are closed for long periods of time. This could lead to a situation in
    which hot reentry gases flow past the seals and into the MLG bay. GRC seal tests will help shuttle engineers
    decide when to replace them to avoid this potentially
    dangerous situation.

    The GRC Seals Team has been performing a series of leakage tests and compression tests to evaluate seal
    performance. Tests performed by GRC to date have identified a minimum amount of seal compression required
    to meet KSCʼs seal leakage goals. GRC compression tests on the seals have also determined compression levels
    at which seal loads become excessively high. Together these tests have defined an acceptable range of compres
    sion levels on the seals to achieve the best seal performance. All test results have been shared with KSC and
    JSC to help guide seal installation on the orbiters.

    In the next phase of work, GRC will perform leakage and


    compression tests using permanently compressed seals that
    flew on the Space Shuttle. A long-term compression test
    will also be performed to evaluate seal resiliency after 30
    days under compression.

    Tests performed on the MLG door environmental seals by


    the GRC Seals Team are helping JSC reduce risks in seal
    performance and are an important element of the Shuttle
    Return to Flight Program.

    NASA Glenn Research Center • 21000 Brookpark Road • Cleveland • Ohio • 44135
    M–1588
    Explore. Discover. Understand. May 05

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