Spike Jones wrote:
>
> > Spike Jones wrote: Suppose you
> > are a rocket designer and you are given the same set of requirements
> > the shuttle designers were given in 1965. To orbit with 30 tons,
> > 18.5 meters by 4.8 cylindrical, *return to earth with 10 tons*
> > and land with dignity. What would it look like? spike
>
> OK part 2 of the same exercise. In 65 it seemed like a good
> idea to build a spacecraft that could return satellites from
> orbit to earth for servicing. It wasnt. The shuttle has never
> really been used for that, for good reason: its scary to
> return with much in the payload bay. Its dangerous,
> and you dont want to risk that big expensive orbiter,
> when it is cheaper to just make two identical satellites
> and if the one conks, send up the other.
>
> So now assume yourself a rocket designer. You are
> given all the same constraints as the rocket designers
> had in 65, with the exception that you need not return
> payloads. The only things you must return are the motors
> and the meat. And no fishing astronauts outta the sea,
> thats dangerous. Now what does your craft look like? spike
Dyna-Soar, Hermes, HL-20, etc.
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Mon May 28 2001 - 09:59:40 MDT