what is Flight Deck On The Space Shuttle

Flight Deck

This deck was where the shuttle was actually flown from. It has all the controls, switches, knobs, pedals, and levers, needed for flight, the mission, and reentry. Astronauts could travel from deck to deck by way of two access tunnels located near the commander and pilot's seats.

Seating On Flight Deck

The pilot and commander were seated in the two forward most right and left seats. Their stations were exactly the same. Which meant that either could control as well as land the orbiter. During the course of lift off and reentry the second row of seats found on the flight deck belong to the mission specialist and payload specialist. The pilot and commander's seats can be adjusted up, down, forward, and back. The backs of all of the seats could easily tilt forward or backward. The cushions of all of the seats are detachable and the mission and payload specialist's seats were designed to be collapsed and stowed throughout the entire mission. The seats have mounts for biomedical monitoring and communications as well as emergency equipment.

Payload Handling And Mission Operation Controls

The entire back bulkhead, or wall, of the flight deck had displays, controls, levers, and even gauges. Many of these controls were used for rendezvous and docking with the International Space Station or other spacecraft and payload handling.

Mission Operation Controls

The commander generally operated the controls for docking with another spacecraft. Radars and their displays were relied on when a docking task was being performed.

Payload Handling Controls

This station could be used to capture and release satellites or manipulate cargo within the payload bay. The pilot operated this particular station. They could make use of the RMS arm to catch a satellite, open or close the payload bay doors, turn the lights within the bay on or off, or use the cameras within the bay. There were two TV cameras in the payload bay that would send live feeds to monitors at this station.