Fig. 2. Shuttle RMS block diagram. annunciation is given for any out of setpoint condition. To support further malfunction diagnosis further system health data can be called up on the TV monitor. The operator can also access the RMS software via the keyboard. The arm can manipulate payloads up to 18.3 m long and 4.5 m in diameter with a mass up to 30,000 kg. The accuracy of end point control is in the order of ±5 cm and ±1° in automatic mode and better than ±1.5 cm when operator controlled. SYSTEM VALIDATION The RMS program has successfully completed many stages of system validation. Extensive real and nonreal time programs are the means of both qualitative and quantitative system evaluation and for the assessment of the man-in-the-loop requirements and performance. The real time simulator, S1MFAC, is shown in Fig. 3. Simulations are augmented by system and subsystem testing for final preflight system verification. Figure 4 shows the RMS being tested on the system test rig. Before the first flight in November 1981, many Shuttle systems were untried in space — the arm was no exception. The first four flights of the shuttle were, therefore, designated as test flights and the final elements of system verification for the arm will occur during these and future flights. The RMS verification required the validation of the RMS simulation models, the orbiter/RMS integrated performance, and mission safety in the presence of RMS malfunctions. These are briefly addressed in the following section.
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