234-NASA – SLIC: The Unsung Hero of Hubble SM4

An animation of a rotating Super Lightweight Instrument Carrier (SLIC) as prepped for the Hubble Space Telescope Servicing Mission 4. This carrier will be placed in space shuttle Atlantis’s cargo bay aft of the airlock and forward of the ORUC. This carrier made of composite material supports the enclosure holding the Wide Field Camera 3 among other things. SLIC’s lightweight enables the space shuttle to carry more instruments and equipment.

The composite Super Lightweight Interchangeable Carrier (SLIC) is a new breed of equipment carrier that will allow the Space Shuttle to transport a full complement of scientific instruments and other components to Hubble. Made of carbon fiber with a cyanate ester resin and a titanium metal matrix composite, SLIC is the first all-composite carrier to fly on the shuttle. This flat, reusable pallet looks very different from the carriers flown on previous Hubble servicing missions because of its efficient design. This design, plus SLICs composite construction, makes it much lighter and stronger than traditional aluminum carriers. About half the weight of its predecessors, SLIC shows a dramatic increase in performance over other Hubble equipment carriers, with nearly double the carrying capability.