The Payload Assist Module: Personal Experiences with an Early Implementation of Commercial Payloads on the Space Shuttle

Article

“The Payload Assist Module: Personal Experiences with an Early Implementation of Commercial Payloads on the Space Shuttle” by Dennis Dillman
Published in Quest Volume: 32 #4 (2025)

Abstract

The Payload Assist Module (PAM) was a venture by McDonnell-Douglas Astronautics Co. (MDAC) to implement commercial satellite deployments from the Space Shuttle. Common reusable sets of airborne support equipment were used to deploy 20 commercial communications satellites from 11 Shuttle missions. This article delves into the design of the Shuttle PAM system, flight experience, crew training, and plans for the Shuttle PAM system prior to termination after the STS-51L accident.

Citation

Dillman, Dennis. “The Payload Assist Module: Personal Experiences with an Early Implementation of Commercial Payloads on the Space Shuttle.” Quest: The History of Spaceflight Quarterly 32, no. 3 (2025): 17-27.