3-D Sprags and Rollers
EVA Roller Wrench

This is the logo we designed for our experiment.

The NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)'s Shuttle Small Payloads Project has developed an educational opportunity to fly experiments aboard the Space Shuttle in their Space Experiment Module (SEM). We took advantage of this opportunity by flying a three-dimensional (3-D) roller mechanism on STS-95 in the fall of 1998.

The goal of the experiment is to study how the 3-D rollers behave in a period of extended micro-g and the experimental set-up is shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1 ¥ 3-D Roller SEM Experiment

The motor turns the 3-D roller mechanism in the free-spin direction for a few seconds and then for one second, it will reverse and apply 30 in-lbf of torque, reverse again and continue to apply torque in the free-spin direction. Backdrive and applied torque data is collected every two hours. Here is a sample data run:

Our SEM was then integrated in a Get Away Special (GAS) carrier as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2 ¥ Integration of SEM into the GAS carrier
Photo courtsey NASA/GSFC Public Affairs

The GAS canister was then shipped to the Kennedy Space Center, arrived on the 31st of August 1998, and was installed on SPARTAN 201 Flight Support Structure (FSS).

Launch of STS-95 occurred on Thursday, 29 October 1998 at 2:19pm EST (1920 UT). A picture that NASA Public Affairs took is shown below in Figure 3.

Figure 3 ¥ Launch of STS-95
Photo from NASA/KSC Public Affairs web site

Figure 4 shows the GAS canister that our SEM is inside. We sat in Bay 10 of the Orbiter mounted on the SPARTAN FSS. One of the end caps of the GAS can appears inside the circle and the rest of the canister goes back into the picture towards the aft end of the Cargo Bay.

Figure 4 ¥ SEM-04 on-orbit
Photo captured from NASA TV by Dr. Ruthan Lewis

We received word that SEM-04 was activated at 6 hours, 25 minutes, and 40 seconds after launch (at 8:45pm EST). The timeline described above ran for 6 days, 6 hours, 45 minutes, and 5 seconds which means the experiment stopped running and data collection ceased on Thursday, 5 November 1998 at 3:30am EST. SEM-04 was deactivated on the 5th of November at 4:03pm EST (7 days, 1 hour, 43 minutes, and 50 seconds after launch). Here is a quick summary of the timeline:

Our experiment was delivered back to us on December 16, 1998. Take a look at the complete integration and deintegration timeline of the SPARTAN 201-05 experiment to find out when we were actually mounted in the Cargo Bay of the Orbiter.

On the 8th of January 1999, the STS-95 crew visited GSFC and we had the opportunity to meet them and show them our experiment.

Crew on stage discussing their mission (from left to right: Payload Specialist John H. Glenn Jr., Payload Specialist Dr. Chiaki Mukai, Mission Specialist Pedro Duque of Spain, Mission Specialist Dr. Scott E. Parazynski, Mission Specialist Stephen K. Robinson, Pilot Steven W. Lindsey, and Commander Curt Brown)	SEM team showing the crew members the wrench (from left to right: Kris Edwards, Brian Roberts, Curt Brown, Stephen Robinson, Scott Parazynski, and Steven Lindsey)
John Glenn meeting the SEM team (from left to right: John Glenn, Kris Edwards, Brian Roberts, Glen Henshaw, and Laurie Shook)	John Glenn inspecting the "ratchetless" wrench (from left to right: John Glenn, Mike Pang, Brian Roberts, Laurie Shook, Glen Henshaw)

Figure 5 ¥ STS-95 Crew's Visit to GSFC
Photos courtsey of NASA/GSFC Public Affairs

A good summary of our experiment set-up and results can be found in:

• Roberts, B., Shook, L., Hossaini, L., and R. Cohen, "Analysis of Three-Dimensional Roller Performance in a Micro-g Environment," in 1999 Shuttle Small Payloads Project Symposium Proceedings, NASA-CP-1999-209476, 13-15 September 1999 (also published as SSL Document Number 99-010). [ paper (1.1 MB PDF) | presentation ]

For some cool pictures of our experiment and the SPARTAN 201, check out:

• SP201-05 Integration for STS-95
• Spartan 201-05 Camera Page The camera is setup in the W59A cleanroom at GSFC for the de-integration of SP201and an image is sent via FTP and updates every 30 seconds

Here are some links related to our experiment inside the SEM:

• Goddard's Role in STS-95
• SEM Hall of Fame: STS-95 SEM 04
• SEM-04 Experiment Descriptions
• Space Experiment Module SEM-04 (NASA Facts FS-1998-09-027-GSFC PDF file)
• STS-95 Payload: Space Experiment Module (SEM) - 4

Our experiment received plenty of media coverage.

• "Student's Space Wrench to Get Test on Glenn Shuttle" (22 October 1998 University of Maryland Press Release)
• "Historic John Glenn Flight To Feature Maryland And Goddard Science Experiments" (October 1998 edition of Goddard News, Volume 2, Number 42)
• Interview on Prince George's TV news (October 27, 1998)
• Interview on WMAL (October 27, 1998)
• Interview on DC News channel 9 news (October 27, 1998)
• Pieces of Upper St. Clair to hit space: Students' projects to blast off with Glenn, Shuttle (October 28, 1998 article in the Pittsburgh Tribune Review)
• "Grad student designs Glenn's space wrench" (29 October 1998 article in the The Diamondback, Number 43)
• "Grad student walking on air as his wrench blasts off" (29 October 1998 article in the The Prince George's Journal)
• Story on Discovery News on the Discovery channel (October 30, 1998)
• "UM graduate student's project goes aloft with Glenn: Space socket wrench to undergo testing" (30 October 1998 article in the Baltimore Sun)
• "Student's Wrench Getting First Real Space Test on Discovery's Flight" (3 November 1998 article in the Outlook: The University of Maryland Faculty and Staff Weekly Newspaper)
• "Flight test area man's handiwork" (November 4, 1998 article in the Youngstown Vindicator)
• "A Wrench That is Out of This World" (5 November 1998 article in Prince George's Sentinel)
• "Wrenching experience" (12 November 1998 article in the Canfield Town Crier)
• "A Wrench from Space" (March 1999 article in the Home Technology Newsfront section of Popular Science)
• "Tools of the Trade" (Winter 1999 article in College Park Magazine)
• "Bringing Space Technologies Down to Earth" (NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center 1998 Technology Transfer Report)

We teamed with two school districts:

• Monrovia Elementary School Hands-on Space Experiment

To learn more about the mission, check out the following:

Additional Information on Mission STS-95 (NASA/KSC) Florida Today Space Online Special Report: Mission of Discovery John Glenn Mission Photos (KODAK Print Service) NASA Shuttle Web: STS-95 NASA/KSC Newsroom STS-95 Photograph Archives Photo Index STS-95 Shuttle Press Kit Shuttle Countdown Online Space Central: STS-95 (Houston Chronicle) Spacelink - Flight 092 STS-95 STS-95 (NASA/KSC) STS-95 KSC Electronic Photo File electronic images that depict some of the preflight , launch and landing activities associated with the Space Shuttle Mission STS-95 STS-95 Prelaunch, Launch, and Landing Movies Video Index STS-95 L+1 year symposium

Fortunately with Senator John Glenn flying on STS-95, there was plenty of coverage of his return to flight:

• CNN - John Glenn: Return to Space
• Discovery Online: John Glenn, A Space Odyssey
• "Glenn Cleared to Become Oldest in Space (Washington Post)
• "Glenn Launch Uncertain" (Yahoo)
• "Glenn Goes on a Sentimental Journey" (Washington Post)
• "Glenn Removed from Key Shuttle Experiment" (CNN 21 October 1998)
• "Glenn Returns to Space" (Washington Post)
• "Glenn's geriatric studies might remain secret" (Yahoo)
• HoustonChronicle.com - John Glenn: A hero returns to space
• John Glenn daily collection from papers across the U.S.
• John Glenn, A Space Odyssey (Discovery Online)
• John Glenn: American Hero (PBS)
• "John Glenn Rides Again" (CNN)
• John Glenn - Space Pioneer
• "John Glenn, the Second Time Around" (Washington Post)
• KODAK Professional: Legends Online Joe McNally photographic coverage of John Glenn's return to space
• "On Eve of Glenn's Shuttle Flight, Concerns Over a Lull in Launchings" (New York Times)
• "Physiometrix and Senator John Glenn Have 'The Right Stuff' for Space Shuttle Discovery" (Yahoo)
• Ride with John Glenn into Microgravity
• SpaceViews Special Section: John Glenn's Return to Space
• STS-95: John Glenn Page
• STS-95: John Glenn Page Mercury/Friendship 7 and Shuttle Discovery/STS-95 Comparison
• "The right stuff - or a wrong idea?" (MSNBC)
• Washington Post coverage
• Yahoo! Broadcast: News: John Glenn Launch