----- Original Message ----- From: "Doug Pensinger" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Killer Bs Discussion" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Friday, January 23, 2004 8:40 PM Subject: Re: Suddenly Everyone Has an Opinion about Space
> Robert wrote: > > > > Hmmmm...... Since the shuttle seems to be a problem on landing or > > takeoff we could...............leave them in space. > > Add a shuttle mothball dock on a spar of the ISS. > > On each shuttles last mission, have one man pilot it up for docking, > > and leave it there as a service vehicle. You would only have to have > > it refueled and supplied for the missions it could be reconfigured to > > do. > > > > Scrape off those pesky tiles. Add some solar cells and extra fuel > > tanks. > > Strap on that ion engine. The shuttle could still be usefull even > > though it could never touch Earth again. Re-make it into a true > > *space*ship. > > Send what Hubble needs by other means, but use the shuttles to do the > > space transportation and support. > > The shuttle could be a crew life support system and pickup truck for > > several different kinds of Earth and Lunar orbital missions. > > You just need Apollo to get there. <G> > > Wow, that's a great idea. Really. I wonder what the drawbacks are. Right off, you would have to fix the plummin so the shuttle could be refueled easily in space. You have to load new sets of navigational softwares. (The old software will no longer be completely valid since it will contain a *lot* of information about aerodynamics of launches and landings. It would be better to start from scratch.) Then you also would need some gear added on to make the shuttle modular in respect to extra propulsion units and their control systems, and airlock docking units. I would expect that you need a better radar system and multiple comm antennae. Maybe a heavier duty robot arm too. Maybe a unit added to the nose so the shuttle can operate as a tug. Maybe each of the surviving shuttles can be fitted differently so that they will be used in more specialized ways. IMO we shouldn't just dump the shuttle if it can be used for some other purpose, and it should have quite a bit of longevity if it never lands earthside again. xponent Blue Sky Brainstorming Maru rob _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
