Space shuttle Oven timers? STS and ISS equipment question

[scuba_steve]

OK, so this has bugged me for while now, and I hope someone can shed some light on it. (hopefully I'm posting in the right forum here?)

In images of the shuttle flight deck in-orbit, or from inside the ISS I've noticed there almost always seems to be one of or many of a little white piece of equipment attached to random surfaces. It looks to be about 2x3 in size, has a small LCD display near the top and a set of 10 black buttons. It reminds me of an oven timer!

here are two example images where you can see them. The first one from the flight deck of STS-79 has 3, one on the back of the pilot and commanders seats, and one appears to be on the knee board of another crew member. The second on is on-board ISS and you can see the device attached to the right most screen of the robotics workstation.

http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/missions/sts-79/images/medium/KSC-96EC-1025.jpg


http://www.aviationspectator.com/files/images/ISS-International-Space-Station-321.preview.jpg


What the heck are those? are they all waiting for the meatloaf to be ready? Counting down till happy hour? Are they simply mission timers? why so many? looks like they're velcroed to whatever surface. Does each crew member carry one around?

TIA for your help!

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

They are, shall we say, "multipurpose timers". They can be used to track how long a task has been ongoing, or how long until a task is scheduled to begin. For example, an IV (Intra Vehicular) crewmember (basically someone who watches over the EVA crewmembers from inside) might have to ask the crew to perform a glove check at 4 hours 30 mins. into the spacewalk. The IV crewmember would start the timer when the EVA began, so that he would know exactly when to perform the check. They could also be used to monitor how long an OMS burn has been ongoing, so that the crew would know when to press the "STOP" button!

 

[Submariner]

Wow, I always thought those were calculators! I love how cluttered the STS cabins look with all of the checklists velcroed everywhere. I'd love to see that incorporated into the shuttle VC in Orbiter.

 

[n122vu]

I also thought they were calculators, but only based on the one scene in Space Cowboys where Frank (Clint Eastwood) is asking Jerry (Donald Sutherland) if they attach the remaining pods to the missiles whether they can launch the warheads far enough to escape Earth's gravity. Jerry punches some numbers into what looks like one of these little "oven" timers and replies "Just barely, Frank."

 

[statickid]

wow! cool! thats hilarious they do look just stuck all over randomly.

I wonder what brand they are, I would like to get a bunch of these and velcro them around my house and next to my computer

 

[Izack]

I also thought they were calculators, but only based on the one scene in Space Cowboys where Frank (Clint Eastwood) is asking Jerry (Donald Sutherland) if they attach the remaining pods to the missiles whether they can launch the warheads far enough to escape Earth's gravity. Jerry punches some numbers into what looks like one of these little "oven" timers and replies "Just barely, Frank."

Wait...WHAT?!

I never looked into that movie, and now I'm really afraid to...

 

[zerofay32]

They are CDN PT1A Timers (Last one on the page):
http://www.cdn-timeandtemp.com/consumer/products/timers/digital-hms.asp

 

[kuddel]

I wonder what brand they are, I would like to get a bunch of these and velcro them around my house and next to my computer

See: http://www.raumfahrtmuseum.at/spaceshuttle5.html
Unfortunately its german, but the brand shows up pretty well on the picture.
Might be a good starting point for further research...


Arrrgh, zerofay32 was quicker

 

[Mantis]

That's too true about the clutter. I remember seeing footage of the interior of the ISS and noticing that there seem to be laptop computers hanging around every where you turn!

 

[Moach]

They are CDN PT1A Timers (Last one on the page):
http://www.cdn-timeandtemp.com/consumer/products/timers/digital-hms.asp

you'd think the company would market those with something like "USED BY NASA ON THE SHUTTLE AND ISS!!! :thumbup:"

but no... just a features list - quite humble of them

or maybe they have no idea where their timers have been ending up lately:lol:

 

[scuba_steve]

wow...thanks orbinaut pete for solving that pesky little question... if you dont mind me asking, how is it that you knew that?

Would they actually use them to time burns? i'd think the computer autopilots etc would be doing that?

...makes me really want to buy one and start gluing Velcro pads all over my car dash!:lol:

 

[statickid]

luckily i can read a bit of german! :thumbup: awsome! thanks!

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

wow...thanks orbinaut pete for solving that pesky little question... if you dont mind me asking, how is it that you knew that?

No problem, I'm glad to help!

How did I know that? Years of following the space program, and an inquisitive engineers mind! :lol:
When it comes to space, I just kind of soak things up, without really trying to!