Common Berthing Mechanism

The Common Berthing Mechanism (CBM) is a berthing mechanism primarily used to connect pressurized elements within the US Orbital Segment of the International Space Station. It roughly corresponds to the docking ports that are used to join such elements within the Russian Orbital Segment. It was developed by Boeing at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Huntsville, Alabama under contract NAS15-10000 from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).[1]

Common berthing mechanism schematic diagram
An HTV being deberthed from an active CBM

The CBM system is a combination of structural, mechanical and control components that perform the capture, closure, and passive structural connection between two pressurized modules. The total CBM system is composed of two distinct sets of equipment: the active and passive halves. The active half [ACBM] supports the mechanical and control elements which effect the actual capture and closure functions of the berthing operations. The passive half [PCBM] contains the inert elements required to complete the berthing and closure action. It also contains the seals effecting pressurized capability at the Module/Module interface.[2]

The ACBM was developed in response to specification S683-29902 (CAGE 3A768). The PCBM was developed under specification S683-28943 (CAGE 3A768). According to the specifications, the CBM provides a Module/Module clear passage square with rounded corners with a width of 50"[3], which is large enough to accommodate a standard hatch and allow International Standard Payload Racks to be passed between modules. Using such racks, payloads can be pre-configured and transported to the station aboard a variety of logistics modules. Once the hatches have been opened and the Module/Module vestibule configured, electrical, data, and fluid lines can be manually connected by the crew in a "shirt-sleeve" environment.

In addition to Module/Module attachment locations, the CBM is also used as a structural/mechanical/utility interface (e.g., for the base of the Z1 truss) and for docking adapters at various locations.

Operation

On radial ports, the 4 covers ('petals') on the ACBM open to expose the 4 sets of latches and alignment guides. For any ACBM location, the PCBM is aligned with ACBM using a tele-robotic device (of which several varieties exist). Latches engage and retract. When fully latched, 16 bolts are driven (under remote control) from the active side into the passive side. Bolts are tightened in multiple stages, allowing the temperatures to equalise as necessary. Bolt loads are sensed by a load cell within each of the 16 units.

Uses on the ISS

Uses of the CBM (as of late 2018) are tabulated below.

PCBM ElementTime FrameOn-orbit CBM BerthPermanent DeliveryLogisticsACBM ElementOrientation During BerthNotesSources
PMA-109/1998NoYesNoNode 1AftFactory Mate[4]
PMA-209/1998NoYesNoNode 1ForwardFactory Mate[4]
FGB Zarya11/1998NoYesNoN/AN/AFirst Launch[4]
Node 1 (Unity)12/1998NoYesNoN/AN/AAPAS Mate[4]
Service Module (Zvezda)07/2000NoYesNoN/AN/AAPAS Mate[4]
Z110/2000YesYesNoNode 1Zenith[4]
PMA-310/2000YesYesNoNode 1Nadir[4]
PMA-202/2001YesNoNoUS LabForward[4]
U.S. Lab (Destiny)02/2001YesYesNoNode 1Forward[4]
PMA-303/2001YesNoNoNode 1Port[4]
MPLM (STS-102)03/2001YesNoYesNode 1Nadir[4]
MPLM (STS-100)04/2001YesNoYesNode 1Nadir[4]
Airlock (Quest)06/2001YesYesNoNode 1Starboard[4]
MPLM (STS-105)08/2001YesNoYesNode 1Nadir[4]
Russian Docking Compartment & Airlock09/2001NoYesNoN/AN/AAPAS Mate[4]
MPLM (STS-108)12/2001YesNoYesNode 1Nadir[4]
MPLM (STS-111)06/2002YesNoYesNode 1Nadir[4]
MPLM (STS-114)07/2005YesNoYesNode 1Nadir[4]
MPLM (STS-121)06/2006YesNoYesNode 1Nadir[4]
PMA-308/2007YesNoNoNode 1NadirIntermittent faults while unbolting[4][5]
Node 2 (Harmony)10/2007YesYesNoNode 1Port[6]
PMA-211/2007YesNoNoNode 2Starboard[4]
Node 2 (Harmony) + PMA-211/2007YesNoNoUS LabForward[4]
European Research Laboratory (Columbus)02/2008YesYesNoNode 2Starboard[4]
ELM-PS03/2008YesYesNoNode 2Zenith[4]
Japanese Experiment Module (Kibo)05/2008YesYesNoNode 2Port[4]
ELM-PS05/2008YesYesNoJEMZenith[4]
MPLM (STS-126)11/2008YesNoYesNode 2Nadir[4][7]
PMA-308/2009YesNoNoNode 1Port[4]
MPLM (STS-128)08/2009YesNoYesNode 2NadirBolt 4-1, Node 2 Nadir: high torque on berth, jammed on deberth (replaced IVA)[4][8]
ISS-HTV109/2009YesNoYesNode 2Nadir[4][9]
MRM-211/2009NoYesNoN/AN/AAPAS Mate[4]
PMA-301/2010YesNoNoNode 2Zenith[4]
Node 3 (Tranquility) + Cupola (STS-130)02/2010YesYesNoNode 1PortMultiple bolt jams during Cupola deberth[4][10]
PMA-302/2010YesNoNoNode 3Port[4]
Cupola02/2010YesYesNoNode 3Nadir[4]
MPLM (STS-131)04/2010YesNoYesNode 2Nadir[4][11]
MRM-105/2010NoYesNoN/AN/AAPAS Mate[4]
ISS-HTV201/2011YesNoYesNode 2Nadir[4][12]
PMM02/2011YesYesNoNode 1Nadir[4]
MPLM (STS-135)07/2011YesNoYesNode 2Nadir[4]
ISS-SpX-D05/2012YesNoYesNode 1Nadir[4][13]
ISS-HTV306/2012YesNoYesNode 2NadirLoss of Comms on Node 2 Nadir CBM[4][14][15]
ISS-SpX-110/2012YesNoYesNode 2Nadir[4][16]
ISS-SpX-203/2013YesNoYesNode 2Nadir[4][17]
ISS-HTV408/2013YesNoYesNode 2Nadir[4][18]
ISS-Orb-D109/2013YesNoYesNode 2Nadir[4][19]
ISS-Orb-101/2014YesNoYesNode 2Nadir[4][20]
ISS-SpX-304/2014YesNoYesNode 2Nadir[4][21]
ISS-Orb-207/2014YesNoYesNode 2Nadir[4][22]
ISS-SpX-409/2014YesNoYesNode 2Nadir[4][23]
ISS-SpX-501/2015YesNoYesNode 2Nadir[4][24][25]
ISS-SpX-604/2015YesNoYesNode 2Nadir[4][26]
HTV-508/2015YesNoYesNode 2Nadir[27]
OA-412/2015YesNoYesNode 1Nadir[28]
OA-603/2016YesNoYesNode 1Nadir[29]
ISS-SpX-804/2016YesNoYesNode 2Nadir[30]
BEAM04/2016YesYesNoNode 3Aft[31][32]
ISS-SpX-907/2016YesNoYesNode 2Nadir[33]
OA-510/2016YesNoYesNode 1Nadir[34]
HTV-612/2016YesNoYesNode 2Nadir[35]
ISS-SpX-1002/2017YesNoYesNode 2Nadir[36]
PMA-303/2017YesNoNoNode 2Zenith[4]
OA-704/2017YesNoYesNode 1Nadir[37]
ISS-SpX-1106/2017YesNoYesNode 2Nadir[38][39]
ISS-SpX-1208/2017YesNoYesNode 2Nadir[40]
OA-8E11/2017YesNoYesNode 1Nadir[41][42]
ISS-SpX-1312/2017YesNoYesNode 2Nadir[43]
ISS-SpX-1404/2018YesNoYesNode 2Nadir[44]
OA-9E05/2018YesNoYesNode 1Nadir[45]
ISS-SpX-1506/2018YesNoYesNode 2Nadir[46][47]
HTV-709/2018YesNoYesNode 2Nadir[48]
ISS-SpX-1612/2018YesNoYesNode 2Nadir[49]

Table Notes:

(1) Timeframes for the factory mates of PMA-1 and PMA-2 to Node 1 are approximate.

(2) A few major non-CBM matings are included here for context.

  • A passive CBM on a Dragon
  • An active CBM with covers closed

See also
  • Comparison of spacecraft docking and berthing mechanisms
  • Power Data Grapple Fixture

References
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  2. CAGE 3A768: T683-13850-3, "Common Berthing Mechanism Assembly Qualification Test Report (Revision New)" (8 October 1998)
  3. CAGE 3A768: S683-28943C: "Passive Common Berthing Mechanism Critical Item Development Specification" (21 July 1995).
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