At 04:37 PM 2/1/03 -0600, Robert Seeberger wrote:
----- Original Message ----- From: "Gary L. Nunn" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Saturday, February 01, 2003 4:29 PM Subject: RE: Wild Shuttle Speculation> > > ABCNews is highlighting a "thermal differentiation in the > > left wing" where a piece of insulation struck the wing upon lift-off. > > > It is at least very remotely possible that the loose > > insulation was the result of a sabotage/terrorism attempt > > that failed during liftoff, but ended up producing enough > > damage to cause disaster on the landing. > > > Of course this is all speculation and possibly stating the obvious, but > even if they didn't have the robot arm, it almost seems like it would be > irresponsible (for whoever makes the decision) to attempt re-entry > without a visual inspection knowing that they took a hit of any kind at > launch. It seems like there would be more than one way to make a visual > inspection - from going out in a space suit to having someone on the ISS > look out a window with binoculars. It seems highly coincidental that > they experienced sensor malfunctions in the same area where the debris > hit during launch. > > At the last news briefing they said that even if there was damage that > they could have not done anything about it. That seemed like a very > stupid thing to say on NASA's part. Certainly they would not have > attempted re-entry if they had known about any damage? > > > > The Shuttle did not have a robot arm loaded, and thus the > > crew could not inspect the damage will in orbit. (Columbia > > was also too heavy to dock with the ISS.) > > Ok, this is my space mechanic ignorance showing, but how could the > shuttle have possibly been too heavy to dock in a weightless > environment? > Not enough fuel to move that much mass that far. The shuttle is weightless in space but not massless.<G>
They weren't even in similar orbits:
STS-107:
Orbital Insertion Altitude:150 nautical miles
Orbit Inclination:39�
ISS:
Apogee (km)...............................391.424
Perigee (km)..............................383.871
Inclination (degrees).....................51.6358
It would take a _lot_ of fuel to raise STS-107's orbit to the level of that of the ISS, and probably even more to change the plane of its orbit from 39� to 51.6� inclination (not to mention any necessary rotation of the line of nodes). IOW, if the shuttle is not originally launched into an orbit which is meant to rendezvous with the ISS, it probably doesn't have anywhere enough fuel on board to make such a large orbital change.
--Ronn! :)
I always knew that I would see the first man on the Moon.
I never dreamed that I would see the last.
--Dr. Jerry Pournelle
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