The PADE patch being placed on the GAS canister.
The first Latin American Get Away Special (GAS) canister flew abourd the Space Shuttle Endeavour during mission STS-108 in December 2001. The seven PADE, (Paquete Argentino de Experimentos, or Argentine Experiments Package), were flown by the AATE, (Asociación Argentina de Tecnología Espacial, or Argentine Association for Space Technology). The association is a consortium of non-profit university and private research institutes in Argentina. Although other South American payloads have flown aboard the Space Shuttle in the past, PADE was the first 5-cubic-foot GAS can to be filled with experiments developed and sponsored by a South American organisation.
The PADE patch being placed on the GAS canister.
Work on the PADE project started several years ago. The PADE experiments included transport of fluids in non-circular tubing, surface vibration of water, migration of drops and bubbles in microgavity; exposure of seeds to open space; crystal formation and growth in microgravity; maximum acceleration register and geophysical fluids movement. The PADE experiments weighed about 50 pounds.
Thanks to: Diego Córdova, March 2002
The Artwork
Above: The first design of the PADE patch.
Below: The final approved version of the PADE patch.
Spot the Patch !!!
The Gas canister with the PADE patch photographed from the crewcabin during STS-108.