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Canadarm

Canadarm, the first robotic manipulator system designed specifically for use in space, made its first appearance on STS-2.

Canadarm deploys for the first time (NASA)

The real name for the Canadarm is the Shuttle Remote Manipulator System, or SRMS.

Canadarm was developed by the National Research Council of Canada, a Canadian industrial team composed of DSMA Atcon, Spar, and CAE Electronic. Development began in 1974. Spar was appointed the prime subcontractor in July 1975.

The arm is designed to work like the human arm, with two rotating joints at the shoulder, one at the elbow, and three at the wrist. At 15 meters in length, it can lift over 30,000 kilograms. The control system provides precision control of the movements of the arm.

Canada built five Canadarms for NASA. Arm 201 was delivered in April 1981, arm 202 in January 1983, arm 301 in December 1983, arm 302 in March 1985, and arm 303 in August 1993. Arm 302 was destroyed aboard the Challenger (51-L) in 1985. The first use was of arm 201 was aboard Columbia flight STS-2. The Canadarm was retired with the final shuttle flight STS-135 (Discovery). Arm 201 (taken from Endeavour) is now on display at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum in Ottowa, Ontario. Discovery's arm is now on display next to Discovery at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udar-Hazy Center in Virginia. Another arm, taken from Atlantis, was sent to Houston for study and possible reuse in the future. After the Columbia tragedy, one arm had parts used to construct an extension (OBSS - Orbiter Boom Sensor System) to inspect the shuttle heat shield in flight. The OBSS was left at the ISS to extend the reach of the Canadarm2.

Originally, the Canadarm was used to launch, retrieve, and repair satellites from the space shuttle. It has also been used in Hubble repairs. Later, it aided in construction of the ISS. Since the Columbia disaster, every shuttle flight carried a Canadarm. An inspection boom extension and laser camera system (OBSS) were added so that a complete inspection of the shuttle could be performed and, if needed, repairs made.

After the capture of Intelsat VI during STS-49 (NASA)

With the success of Canadarm, Canadarm2 was built for the ISS and installed during STS-100.

Canadarm and Canadarm2 - Comparative Table

(From the Canadian Space Agency)

Page last modified: 05 November 2023 09:38:38.