From: jamesoberg@aol.com (JamesOberg)
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Re: Crew member goes beserk?
Date: 28 May 1998 01:52:46 GMT

I really think you guys are missing something here -- the original poster's
curiosity was very well founded, IMHO. There IS a lock on the middeck hatch,
that is installed once the Orbiter reaches orbit, and is removed prior to
deorbit. Now, shall we speculate as to why?   [mysterious grin]

From: fleslie@atlas.msfc.nasa.gov (Fred Leslie)
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Re: Crew member goes beserk?
Date: 28 May 1998 13:49:04 GMT

Actually, during the 80's, a payload specialist
(name is irrelevant)  was feeling a little
disappointed that his/her experiment was not
operating properly after years of preparation.
This crew member may have jokingly commented
about opening the hatch and taking a walk.  Not
everyone has a sense of humor and subsequent
missions allowed for a lock to be placed on the
mid-deck hatch.  This was brought up in a press
conference for our flight, so I'm not revealing
anything that hasn't been said.  Our commander
elected not to fly the lock.

Locking the hatch is irrelevant anyway.  It can
be jettisoned from the T-handle box located in
the mid-deck on the portside floor near the
seating position of MS-3 (seat 5).  There are
three separate sets of pyrotechnics associated
with the side hatch, all of which are activated
simultaneously by squeezing and pulling the
forward (right) T-handle in the middeck pyrobox:
1)  a total of 4 linear shaped charges (two per
hinge for redundancy) which sever the hinges; 2)
two (redundant) expanding tube assemblies which
sever the 70 frangible bolts holding the hatch
adapter ring to the Orbiter; and 3) three
(partially redundant) thruster packs which push
the severed hatch away from the Orbiter at a
velocity of approximately 45 ft/sec.  This
procedure is used for emergency egress.

Another way to `"get outside"' is through overhead
window 8.  It may also be jettisoned using the
pyros which are a mechanical system and require
no Orbiter power.  The jettison handle is located
on the center console (C2).

Fred Leslie
PS-1 / STS-73

From: jamesoberg@aol.com (JamesOberg)
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Re: Crew member goes beserk?
Date: 28 May 1998 21:12:45 GMT

Fred Leslie: <<Actually, during the 80's, a payload specialist
(name is irrelevant)  was feeling a little
disappointed that his/her experiment was not
operating properly after years of preparation.
This crew member may have jokingly commented
about opening the hatch and taking a walk. >>

Getting warmer!!!! Thanks, Fred.

Yes, indeed, this is the story I was aluding too, with the modification that
the PS in question was not obviously joking, to the extent that the mission
commander liberally applied gray tape to the hatch handle. The PS recovered his
morale somewhat, although he was also horrified at having to use the zero-G
toilet.