It consists of the flight deck, the middeck/equipment bay and an airlock. The 65.8-cubic-meter (2,325-cubic-foot) crew station module is a three-section pressurized working, living and stowage compartment in the forward portion of the Orbiter. The new Orbiter Boom Sensor System (OBSS) will allow astronauts to check the Shuttle for This area houses the pressurized crew module and provides support for the nose section, the nose gear and the nose gear wheel well and doors. The cockpit, living quarters and experiment operator's station are located in the forward fuselage. Payloads are carried in the mid-fuselage payload bay, and the Orbiter's main engines and maneuvering thrusters are located in the aft fuselage.

The cockpit, living quarters and experiment operator's station are located in the forward fuselage of the Orbiter vehicle. + View Detailed Cutaway Diagram Credit: NASA. About the same size and weight as a DC-9 aircraft, the Orbiter contains the pressurized crew compartment (which can normally carry up to seven crew members), the huge cargo bay, and the three main engines mounted on its aft end. The Orbiter is both the brains and heart of the Space Transportation System. + NASA Home > Mission Sections > Space Shuttle > Return to Flight > Space Shuttle System NASA - The Orbiter The site requires that JavaScripts be enabled in your browser.

Space shuttle orbiter