The flight photograph was taken while the LDEF was attached to the Orbiter's RMS arm prior to berthing in the Orbiter's cargo bay. The white paint dot on the center clamp block of the experiment tray lower flange appears to be slightly discolored. The Space Environment Effects on Fiber Optic Systems Experiment occupies a six (6) inch deep LDEF peripheral tray and consist of an aluminum internal support structure, an Electronic Power and Data System (EPDS), three aluminum experiment mounting plates, two aluminum cover plates, four operational digital optical data links (lengths of 48 m, 45 m and two 20 m) exposed to the space environment, three passive cabled fiber optic links (each 10 m long) with electronic components and end connectors, aluminum brackets and non-magnet stainless steel fasteners required to assemble the experiment. Four active cabled optical fiber links (one black, one blue, one yellow and one light tan), each configured in the form of a planar, helix coil, are attached to thermally isolated mounting plates with black anodized aluminum clips cushioned with silicone-rubber spacers. The three mounting plates are coated with a Catalac off-white thermal control paint, the large cover plate is coated with Chemglaze II A-276 white paint and the smaller cover plate is coated with IITRI S13G-LO white paint to meet thermal control requirements. The three passive cabled optical fiber links and all emitters, detectors and associated electronics are located in the interior volume of the tray. All cabled optical fibers terminate in connectors mounted in brackets that are located in the tray bottom or on the backside of the thermally isolated mounting plates. The Space Environment Effects on Fiber Optic Systems Experiment appears to be intact with no apparent structural damage. Colors of all three exposed coils of fiber optic cables have changed significantly. The cable located in the upper right corner, originally glossy black, appears to be dark brown and the cable in the lower right position, originally a glossy royal blue, now appears to be a navy blue color. The two 20 m coils of fiber optics links appear to have more extensive color changes. The originally yellow cable now appears slate gray and the light tan cable appears brown. The color of the silicone-rubber spacers under the coil attach clips appears to have changed from clear to brown. Brown discolorations have appeared on the lower edge of the large cover plate and on the tray sidewall at the upper edge of the cover plate. The IITRI S13G-LO white paint on the smaller cover plate appears to have a uniform light tan discoloration. Spots that appear to be impact craters can be seen on the white paint in the lower right corner of the large cover plate.
