scope:

Abstract:

The booms and joints of the Remote Manipulator System (RMS) are covered with thermal blankets to help protect the electronics and joint components on orbit. These blankets are attached with Velcro and are grounded to the RMS by ground wires. Instead of as-built drawings for the RMS thermal blanket system, the vendor provided a template, which could be used to create additional templates for all other blankets. Cartoon drawings identified where to connect the Velcro and ground wires. The vendor outsourced the blanket manufacturing and repair to a subcontractor who in turn used these inaccurate cartoon drawings to manufacture and repair the thermal blankets. We often found blankets that do not fit correctly because of incorrect Velcro placement and ground wire locations. Such blankets are unusable. When the Orbiter Boom Sensor System (OBSS)/Inspection Boom Assembly (IBA) came online after return to flight following the Columbia accident, the vendor started providing as-built drawings with dimensions as requested.