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A Weather Protection System at Pads A and B shields
the orbiter from windblown debris, heavy rains and hail that could damage the
craft's Thermal Protection System tiles and insulation blankets. The Rotating
Service Structure, which closes around the orbiter while on the pad, shields a
considerable portion of the vehicle. The Weather Protection System fills the
gaps.
Metal doors that slide together between the
orbiter's belly and the external tank provide protection for the lower portion
of the orbiter. These doors, which measure up to 53 feet (16 meters) long and 38
feet (11.6 meters) tall, weigh up to 46,000 pounds (20,866 kilograms). They
connect to the Rotating Service Structure and the Fixed Service Structure. The
doors move together from opposite sides on wheeled flanges that ride on steel
beams.
An inflatable seal that protects the top of the
orbiter extends from the Payload Changeout Room, forming a semicircle covering
90 degrees of arc between the vehicle and the external tank. A series of 20 or
more bifold metal doors, about 80 by 4 feet (24.4 by 1.2 meters) in size, fold
out from the Payload Changeout Room on the Rotating Service Structure to cover
the side areas between the external tank and the orbiter.
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