On Wed, Feb 19, 2003 at 11:19:20PM -0800, Pierce Nichols wrote: > At 10:18 PM 2/19/2003 -0800, Jim Richardson wrote: > >On Tue, Feb 18, 2003 at 10:58:51PM -0800, Pierce Nichols wrote: > >> At 09:31 PM 2/18/2003 -0800, Jim Richardson wrote: > >> > >> > >> >As a side issue, how hot is the vehicle going to be when it lands? Will > >> >it need time to cool down? > >> > >> > >> Depends heavily on the TPS system. Re-radiative systems will be > >> very hot and will require substantial cool down. Transpiration systems > >will > >> require none at all. Ablative systems will probably require significant > >> cool down time -- anyone with experience with them got a perspective? > >> > > > >So that has a big impact on turnaround time then. > > > >(assuming you can't just cool it actively after landing. ) > > > Well, cooling off any current or anticipated re-radiative system > by hosing it down would probably cause it to crack from thermal stress, > like a hot cast-iron pan dunked in cold water. Even if you found a way to > cool it actively, it would still increase the time and labor required. >
Well. One hopes that there's a better way than hitting it with a firehose but... Anyway, my point was, that a re-readiating TPS, has an impact on turnaround time. Now, the question would be, how big an impact? -- Jim Richardson http://www.eskimo.com/~warlock A bad day, is when aliens attack, the dog bites you, and your boss tells you that the new client wants to make a few changes before delivery. Linux, super computers, office computers, or home computers, it works. _______________________________________________ ERPS-list mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lists.erps.org/mailman/listinfo/erps-list
