Starboard Bulkhead Latch Go/No-Go Criteria

It is more difficult to see the scallop for the Starboard door than it is for the Port door, especially from window W9, when the door is almost or fully closed. From window W10 on OV-105, it is nearly impossible to see the scallop, though photos show it can be seen on OV-104. As the door is closing, the scallop becomes hidden by the centerline latch extended guide rollers on the Starboard side and by the striker plates on the Port side. Further open, the scallop is visible at the tip of the door.

Except where noted, all photos are single frames from a digital video, cropped and brightened. Orbiter is OV-105, in OPF-1 on 3/13/00, taken from the Flight Deck via Window W9 & W10. The left hand column depicts views from W9 (on the left side when looking aft), the right hand column is views from W10.

With the doors opening (silhouetted against a white backdrop in the OPF), the scallop for the Starboard door is clearly visible, but does not become visible until after the door is well clear of the target line.
Door opening, Window W9
Door above the RDY position, Window W9	Door above the RDY position, Window W10
From STS-113 (OV-105), photo sts113-338-018 (from W9). This is where the door has been stopped to perform the centerline latch Go/No-Go check, well before the RDY position. The Bulkhead Latch Go/No-Go Diagram is not applicable to the Starboard door since it may be difficult (or in this case, impossible) to see the scallop for the starboard door. In this case, the procedures say to check with MCC. Click to enlarge, then zoom in to see centerline latch 16 at the aft.
As the door gets closer to the RDY position, the scallop is still difficult to see (from W9) but in this picture it (and centerline latch 16) is still clear of the target line, a NO-GO situation.	From window W10 on OV-105, it is nearly impossible to see the Starboard scallop (from visual observations). The Port scallop is barely visible where the Port door meets the bulkhead, as a small curved segment.
Scallop approximately at top of target line
As the door closes, the target line begins to be obscured by the latches and the scallop is still not visible from W9. When the scallop is approximately at the top of the target line, the radiator appears to be just at the top of the bulkhead latch roller (a possible new visual cue). The roller is visible at the left side of the picture, with the reflection on the radiator panel above it. The crew would be GO for door closing in this scenario.
Door in the closed position (from both W10 and W9, including centerline latch #1)
Neither the target line nor the Starboard scallop are visible from W9 when the door is completely closed.	It is very difficult to see the target line or either scallop from W10 when the door is completely closed.
Other pictures
From window W9 of OV-103 (taken by STS-103 on 12/27/99), the port scallop is visible when the door is closed, while the starboard scallop cannot be seen because it is hidden by the centerline latch hardware. In this picture, C/L latch 16 roller is just below the top of the target line. Compare this to the photo three rows up, the one below was taken a second or two before that one (notice the bulkhead latch roller to the left of the target line). Select the photo to enlarge the target line area.	From window W10 of OV-104 (taken in OPF-1 in 04/96), both scallops are visible when the doors are closed: the Port scallop is at the edge of the Port radiator, as a small bulge at the upper right of the V-shaped notch. The Starboard scallop is the round object at the upper left of the V-shaped notch, just above and to the right of centerline latch #16 extended guide roller. It is unclear what conditions caused the scallops to be visible on one orbiter and not another.

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created March - May 2000 / last updated March 2002