The Spacelab pallets and module rack sets that were assembled and tested during experiment integration are now moved into a workstand to begin Spacelab integration. This step involves brining together all of the pallets and racks and their support equipment to form a complete Spacelab. (Note: This description of the processing flow assumes a combination module/pallet Spacelab mission; however, an igloo containing Spacelab subsystems may replace the module and experiment racks on an all-pallet mission.)
Once the experiment racks have been installed in the Spacelab module and the necessary pallet-to-pallet and pallet-to-module connections have been made, a Spacelab integration test is performed to verify the new interfaces. During the test activity, payload data can be monitored and analyzed by experiment personnel from their user room, providing such capability has been prearranged. Experimenter activity on the workstand is very limited during Spacelab integration, but there may be provisions for hands-on work if the requirement is identified early.
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