The Apollo Education Experience Project

CM Interior Structure – Part 3

The Lower Equipment Bay (LEB) needed some additional structure to support various panels and stuff. I added two more uprights above the girth shelf with angled supports for the upper panels. Because these supports were too far out to reach the ceiling, I could not make them the same way as the existing support. What I did was to cut the vertical and angled pieces with a 74-degree angle, then join them with tie plates on both sides of the joint. I could then install them so that they attached to the girth shelf and the ceiling, and the angles of the top pieces matched the one on the inner supports.

Additional vertical supports for the Lower Equipment Bay (LEB).
(Photo: The Apollo Education Experience Project)

I also installed a small shelf on the right side of the LEB between the two vertical supports. This would support one of the two Open DSKY units that would be installed to the right of the navigation system. Just for fun, I turned on one of the DSKY units and placed it on the shelf.

Lower Equipment Bay (LEB) shelf with an Open DSKY unit in place on it.
(Photo: The Apollo Education Experience Project)

I needed a few more support pieces on the right side of the LEB, both above and below the girth shelf. The ones above weren’t critical, but would just be supporting a close-out panel, but the ones below would support the access door to the service entry electrical box. For ease of construction, I matched the pieces above and below.

Additional structural supports for the Lower Equipment Bay (LEB).
(Photo: The Apollo Education Experience Project)

I also put in one more support below the girth shelf which would eventually support the service entry electrical box itself.

Supports for the service entry electrical box and the access door.
(Photo: The Apollo Education Experience Project)

I also installed some supports for a shelf and door below the girth shelf on the left side as well, but unfortunately forgot to take a photo. C’est la vie…

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