posted 05-04-2009 09:06 PM               

Space Cover #3, RMS First Deployment and Testing

This "space cover of the week" posting shows two related covers. A collector from Canada was especially interested in creating covers for Canadian related space activities. In this case he created covers for the Canadarm "Remote Manipulator System" (RMS) developed for use on the shuttle. STS-3 was the first deployment and testing of the RMS. To document this testing he contacted the builder, SPAR Aerospace Limited in Weston, Ontario, and was able to have covers hand carried with the RMS project manager at NASA JSC in Houston and the Systems Engineer at the SPAR Aerospace facility in Canada. A total of 10 different covers were carried and documented throughout the STS-3 mission (7 JSC, 3 Weston). The covers shown above have been documented as to the initial deployment and testing that took place on 3/23/1982 and signed by the people carrying them. The NASA JSC cover was cancelled 3/24 in Houston and the SPAR Aerospace cover was cancelled 3/23 in Weston. Unfortunately, because of the color ink for the cancels they do not show up well on the scans.

The Houston cover (top):
Date of Test: 23 March 82
Time of Test: 082:14:37 GMT
Duration of Test: 15 mins
Type of Test: Arm First Deployed
signed: RMS project manager and head of public affairs

The Weston cover (bottom):
Date of Test: Mar 23 1982
Time of Test: 10-30 am EST
Type of Test: Unloaded Arm Tests
Duration of Test: 4 hours
signed SPAR Systems Engineer