Local company aids in astronaut’s trip to space
Published on July 26th, 2006
STONEHAM, MA - A Stoneham technology firm recently handed NASA astronaut an armful of support to ensure their safe return from the International Space Station.
According to Adimec marketing manager Gretchen Alper, the Netherlands-based imaging company, which has it’s U.S. headquarters on North Street in Stoneham, recently equipped the Discovery Space Shuttle’s 50-foot robotic arm with scores of cameras.
Specifically, the armload of photography and video technology was attached to the mobile device so that the shuttle’s thermal protection system could be visually inspected for any damage.
In January of 2003, the doomed Columbia Space Shuttle disintegrated amongst a ball of flames after the space-vehicle’s thermal protection system reportedly failed. According to various NASA officials, tiles which cover the aircraft — and form the backbone of thermal system — are suspected of breaking off as the Columbia re-entered Earth’s atmosphere at speeds of up to 12,500 miles per hour.
According to the firm, the inclusion of more than 100 high-definition, digital, video, and film cameras — which were snapping images from the NASA mission’s launch to orbit — made the mid-July space trip the most photographed in history.
“The shuttle has this special arm that was designed to go outside the [craft],” Alper explained. “It’s actually 50-feet long, and it was equipped with our cameras.”
“Basically, they were very confident with the system,” the Adimec spokeswoman added, referring to the astronauts impression of the new technology. “If the cameras detected something wrong with a tile, they would switch over to a [high-resolution] system to make sure they’re wasn’t a problem.”
The most recent NASA flight, the first since Columbia’s ill-fated space-trip, took the Discovery Shuttle Crew on a five-million mile journey over a 13-day period. The Discovery’s crew, who launched into orbit on July 4, safely landed on July 17 after completing repairs to a rail car on the International Space System.
According to Alpen, while on the mission, the astronauts were able to utilize the robotic arm’s camera equipment — mounted at the end of the 50-foot device — through engine controls. The images were then captured on a laptop from within the shuttle, which were broadcast through a standard Ethernet link.
“The selection of the high-resolution cameras required that the products be commercial-off-the-shelf,” an Adimec official explained. “However, the cameras also needed to offer enough durability and performance to provide flawless images in the void of space and on the space shuttle.”
The Stoneham-based headquarters, which has been in existence since 1992, normally works with the Department of Defense and Medical firms, providing imaging equipment to the government and private sectors.
According to Alper, although the company is normally contracted through another firm, the recent NASA job was awarded directly through Adimec. The technology company hopes to continue working with the space-exploration agency in the future.
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