During STS-52 deployment activities, the Italian Research Interim Stage (IRIS), a spinning solid fuel rocket, lifts the Laser Geodynamic Satellite II (LAGEOS II) out of its support cradle and above the thermal shield aboard Columbia, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 102. The remote manipulator system (RMS) arm, with Material Exposure in Low Earth Orbit (MELEO), is positioned above the port side sill longeron. On the mission-peculiar equipment support structure (MPESS) carriers in the center foreground is the United States (U.S.) Microgravity Payload 1 (USMP-1) with Space Acceleration Measurement System (SAMS), MEPHISTO (its French abbreviation), Lambda Point Experiment (LPE) cryostat assembly (identified by the JPL insignia), and LPE vacuum maintenance assembly. Other payload bay (PLB) experiments visible in this image include: on the starboard wall (left), the Canadian Experiments 2 (CANEX-2) Space Vision System (SVS) Canadian Target Assembly (CTA) (foreground) and the Attitude Sensor Package (ASP); and on the port wall (right), the Tank Pressure Control Experiment/Thermal Phenomena (TPCE/TP) get away special (GAS) canister. Images 024, 030 and 035 were selected by the Public Affairs Office.
