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System Racks were installed in Kibo's Pressurized Module

System racks were installed in Kibo's pressurized module at Nagoya Aeronautics and Space Systems Tobishima factory of Mitsubishi Heavy Industry from Sep. 5 to 26, 2000. Subsystems that control Kibo's power, communications, and thermal control systems are installed in the system racks.

Installation tasks
The entrance to the pressurized module is narrow, only 1.3m in diameter, so the racks were installed slowly and carefully using dedicated facilities. Seven to nine engineers cooperate in installing a rack in its assigned position, taking about a day and a half per rack. A total of 12 days were spent to install the planned eight racks. The installation task procedures are shown below.
Remove floor panels of the pressurized module.
Adjust the installation facility and a rack.
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Rotate the pressurized module to a convenient position.
Transfer a system rack.
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Install rack installation facilities.
Install the system rack.
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Prepare the rack transportation facility and system racks.
Connect electric cables.

Video of the task (X10)
Watch the tasks above at ten times normal speed.
Duration: 6min5sec
28K 56K



What is a system rack?
System racks are located in the pressurized module and contain equipment that controls the Japanese Experiment Module "Kibo"; each rack weighs 450kg to 800kg. Kibo contains the nine system racks shown below, each of which has different functions.

(1)Electric Power Racks(2) :Distribute stable power throughout Kibo.
(2)Information Control Racks(2):Control data communications among Kibo systems.
(3)Environment Control and Life Support System/Thermal Control System Racks (2):Keep temperature and humidity inside Pressurized Modules stable.
(4)Workstation Rack (1) : Contains computers that control Kibo.
(5)Common Gas Supply Unit (1):Supplies gas (Ar, He, CO2) to be used for experiment and exhausts.
(6) RMS Rack (1) :Controls the robot arm of Kibo.
(7)Inter-satellite Communication rack (1):

Contains equipment to communicate via data relay satellites.


Environment Control and Life Support System/Thermal Control System Rack
Seven system racks, items (1) to (4) above, and one equipment unit (5) were installed, and a system test was conducted with that configuration

JEM's Pressurized Module accommodates ten system racks, but since the total weight exceeds the maximum launch capability of a Space Shuttle, three racks, the Workstation Rack, the Information Control Rack, and the Electric Power Rack, will be removed before JEM is launched

Four racks, the Workstation Rack, Information Control Rack, one of two Electric Power Racks and the Inter-satellite Communications Rack, will be stored in the Experiment Logistics Module's Pressurized Section during launch. On orbit, two astronauts will take them out, transfer them to the Pressurized Module of Kibo, and install them there.

Kibo can accommodate a total of 24 racks. In addition to system racks, experiment racks and experiment material container racks can also be installed. The racks are standardized throughout the ISS so that racks can be loaded into the Shuttle in the same manner and ISS modules can accommodate other countries' racks.

System Tests
A system test of the Pressurized Module (PM) with system racks installed was conducted from October 2000 to June 2001. The PM will be transported to Tsukuba Space Center in August 2001 to start the Total System Test.

Last Updated: June 20, 2001

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