50+ Years of Crewed-Flight Interconnect Design History
GLENAIR
A Select History of Glenair Connectors and Backshells in Manned Space Flight Applications
Glass-Sealed Hermetics for the X-38 Crew Return Vehicle Glenair supplied specialized glass-sealed hermetic connectors to The X-38 program, an experimental autonomous spacecraft designed and built for the purposes of shuttling space crew back to Earth in an orbital emergency. Glenair has been an essential go-to supplier and design partner for hermetically-sealed connectors on space flight programs since the 1980s. Glenair discrete interconnect designs and technologies have been a part of manned space flight for these past 50+ years. And, as mentioned, we have demonstrated capability in-house to integrate our many unique and signature interconnect technologies into turnkey systems and assemblies. In each of the following examples, Glenair performed exactly in this manner, acting not merely as a supplier, but as an application engineering and design partner to these landmark programs.
The X-38 Crew Return Vehicle
< Hermetic sealing available in circular and rectangular packages
QwikClamp ® Backshells for the International Space Station The Glenair QwikClamp ® backshell was purpose-designed for use on the ISS. Select parts were gold plated for resistance to atomic oxygen corrosion and radiation damage, others were supplied in our “M” code electroless nickel plating.
All designs were equipped with a unique strain relief clamp that eliminated sharp surfaces and angles to prevent potential damage to astronaut life support space suits and gloves. Here is astronaut Thomas D. Jones in 2001 during STS-98 out on an EVA. The cable assemblies in the shot are all equipped with these unique Glenair backshells.
< Astronaut Thomas D. Jones, mission specialist, works on the International Space Station during STS-98 in this 2001 file photo.
Space-grade Qwik-Clamp backshells designed for the International Space Station
Sav-Con ® Connector Savers for the Space Shuttle orbiter Glenair Sav-Con ® connector savers have been on every major manned space program—from Gemini to the Space Shuttle. One of the most dramatic applications of this space- grade connector go-between was on the Space Shuttle orbiter where they provided protection for the umbilical connectors from liftoff to touchdown on every mission.
Glenair Sav-Con ® Connector Savers
Launch of a Space Shuttle orbiter Vehicle from the Kennedy Space Center
QwikConnect • January 2021
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