"Slightly off topic, but in light of yesterday's tragedy, neighbors have

asked me a shuttle question I cannot answer:  Just where on/in the shuttle

are the comm antennas located--I certainly have never seen anything looking

like an antenna hanging out.  Are they in the wing, in the tail, the

fuselage?  Hope some of you NASA Lancairs guys can help me out here.

 

Douglas W. Johnson, MD, FACR"

 

The Shuttle Orbiter's antennas are on the top and bottom of the nose and crew compartment (see drawing below).  You can't normally see them because they're underneath the thermal insulation.  The S-Band system is primary for command, control, and voice between the Orbiter and ground.  The antenna with the best signal is selected.  Most communications are routed through NASA's Tracking & Data Relay Satellites (TDRSS) in geostationary orbits (19,323 nm high, over the equator).  The UHF system is for air-to-air communication with an EVA crewmember (spacewalking) and the International Space Station.  The Ku-Band system, not shown in the drawing below, uses a parabolic antenna located on the starboard side of the payload bay just behind the crew compartment.  The payload bay doors have to be open to use it.  It's the best high speed link - used mostly for video.  It also doubles as radar for rendezvous and docking to help with navigation.

 

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov