Abstract: A spacecraft is mounted in a cradle secured in the space shuttle by means of a suspension system including four cradle attachment members secured to the upper longeron bridge of the shuttle, in which provision is made for movably mounting one attachment member on the cradle to provide a component of movement substantially normal to the adjacent longeron bridge to accommodate misalignment between the longeron bridges and the attachment members without the need for removing the spacecraft and cradle from the shuttle.

Abstract: A spacecraft specifically adapted for launch from the space shuttle by means of a cradle having locking and ejection mechanisms mounted therein. The cradle fastens into the payload bay of the space shuttle and returns therewith for reuse in subsequent launches. The spacecraft mounts at three points to the cradle, and the cradle mounts at three points to the shuttle such that a plane through the attachment points passes through the roll axis of the spacecraft at approximately the center of mass thereof. The cradle utilizes the truss structure of the spacecraft to produce the required stiffness by providing a structural tie between the two ends and the bottom of the cradle. At launch, the spacecraft is ejected with both linear and angular momentum, the spin providing gyroscopic stability. The locking mechanisms in the cradle can be remotely controlled to relock the spacecraft to the cradle in the event of an unsuccessful deployment attempt.