Robert W. Mellette
ablative material—a material, especially a coating material, designed to provide thermal protection to a body in a fluid stream through loss of mass.
abort—to end the mission short of its objective. An abort is usually caused by equipment failure or emergency.
airlock—a hermetically sealed chamber used for passage from one area to another; for example between the Orbiter and the outside space environment.
bungee—an elastic cord used to hold equipment in place; also used for exercise on the treadmill to increase the workload and hold you in place.
cryogenic—requiring or involving the use of very low temperatures.
deorbit—to leave orbit to return to Earth.
deploy—to release an object ( usually a satellite ) into orbit.
drogue parachute—a small parachute used specifically to pull a larger one out of stowage; a small parachute used to slow down a descending aircraft or spacecraft.
electrolysis—the process of separating an electrolyte into its elements by passing an electric current through it.
ET (External Tank)—the large propellant tank that supplies the Shuttle’s main engines with fuel.
ET SEP (External Tank Separation)—the release of the External Tank from the Orbiter after the fuel is exhausted.
EVA (Extravehicular Activity)—work done outside the pressurized section of the spacecraft; a spacewalk.
filter—any device containing a porous material used to strain out impurities from a liquid or gas.
fuel cell—a device that mixes oxygen and hydrogen together in a controlled process to produce electricity and pure water.
geosynchronous orbit—a orbit in which a satellite revolves about the Earth at the same rate at which the Earth rotates on its axis. From the Earth, the satellite thus appears to be stationary over a point on the Earth.
gravity—the force that draws all bodies toward each other.
lithium hydroxide—a chemical compound (LiOH) used for removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere of the Shuttle’s cabin.
Mach—the term used to describe the speed of objects relative to the speed of sound.
MMU (Manned Maneuvering Unit)—a jet thruster backpack used by astronauts to move freely about in space.
microgravity—the term used to describe the apparent weightlessness and fractional g-forces produced in orbit. In orbit,you essentially fall around the Earth, producing a “‘floating”’ condition.
NASA—National Aeronautics and Space Administration; the United States agency which is the governing body for space exploration and policy.
nozzle—that part of a rocket thrust chamber assembly in which the combustion gases are accelerated to high velocity.
payload—useful cargo aboard a spacecraft
photovoltaic—solar cells which collect the energy of the sun and use it to drive electricity producing machines such as turbines
rocket engine—a reaction engine that contains both fuel and oxidizer so that it can be operated in the absence of air.
SRB (Solid Rocket Booster)—solid rocket motors attached to the sides of the External Tank, that provide thrust to boost the Shuttle into Earth orbit.
SRB SEP—the moment when the Solid Rocket Booster separate from the External Tank. The SRB’s are no longer needed because their fuel is exhausted, they are recovered at sea.
STS (Space Transportation System)—a system consisting of the Space Shuttle Orbiter, External Tank and Solid Rocket Boosters, and associated payloads.
stinger—an attachment mounted on the Manned Maneuvering Unit to facilitate the capture and retrieval of satellites.
Teflon—trade name for synthetic fluorine containing resins used for molding articles and for coatings that prevent sticking.
umbilical—a line from a spacecraft that supplies oxygen to an astronaut; a cable used before takeoff to carry power to a rocket or spacecraft.
vacuum—a space devoid of matter
Velcro—trade name for hook and pile fastener, generally made of nylon and used to replace zippers or to attach objects or things.
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