Desirable flight qualification test article of the Space Shuttle's Extra Vehicular Activities Infra Red (EVA IR) Camera, identical to those that would be flown. The camera is housed in its white insulated thermal blanket, with sewn-on identification patch: "Assembly, EVA IR Camera, System, P/N: 1257950-701, S/N: 1004." The thermal blanket is secured to the camera by various Velcro flaps, and bears several patches including the NASA 'meatball' logo, EVA IR Camera patch, and Class 2 Laser caution patch. The camera's remote control unit is attached by its cable, and protected by a similar thermal blanket, with sewn-on patch: "Assembly, RCU, P/N: 1257977-701, S/N: 1004." Accompanied by the camera's black suitcase-style transport case and photocopies of a document outlining the qualification thermal vacuum test procedure that the camera was subjected to at NASA's Langley Research Center.
The Space Shuttle EVA IR Camera was developed as a tool to allow astronauts to further inspect for damage to the reinforced carbon-carbon (RCC) structures of the Shuttle using thermal imaging. Demonstrated on the third EVA of STS-121, Space Shuttle Discovery crewmembers Piers Sellers and Mike Fossum reported that the performed exceptionally well. They successfully collected over 250 megabytes of data on the wing leading edge of the Orbiter and conducted measurements of pre-damaged samples in the Sample Box Assembly located in the cargo bay.
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