IRT

IRT [NASA]

The IRT (Inflatable Rendezvous Target) was an inflatable rendezvous target, to be ejected in a canister from STS 41B, then to be inflated with nitrogen. But the mechanism to open the canister was not activated, because the lanyards pulled loose from the orbiter instead of pulling out of the canister. The nitrogen inflation cartridge did fire as scheduled, and the balloon burst as it began to inflate inside its canister. The remaining pieces of the balloon provided enough of a target for three rendezvous instruments to provide data important in verifying their capabilities.