Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!crdgw1!rpi!mvk
From: mvk@pawl.rpi.edu (Michael V. Kent)
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Re: Atlantis and the DoD
Message-ID: <5T^^K'%@rpi.edu>
Date: 12 Nov 90 02:37:17 GMT
References: <16716@hydra.gatech.EDU> <1990Nov11.204720.16330@cimage.com>
Organization: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy NY
Lines: 20
Nntp-Posting-Host: pawl19.pawl.rpi.edu


In article <1990Nov11.204720.16330@cimage.com> gregc@dgsi.UUCP (Greg Cronau/10000) writes:
>In article <16716@hydra.gatech.EDU> ccoprmd@prism.gatech.EDU (Matthew DeLuca) writes:
>>
>>     A quick question...why is it that the vast majority (all but one, 
>>if my memory serves) of Department of Defense shuttle missions are aboard
>>Atlantis?  I suppose it could be attributed to coincidence; the shuttles
>>are supposed to be pretty much identical, after all.  Still, I have to 
>>wonder.

     I believe this is just coincidence.  While this particular mission
might need Atlantis, I think DoD missions in general do not require Atlantis.
Of the five (including STS-38) DoD missions since the accident, 3 are on
Atlantis.  STS-28 used Columbia in Aug 89, and STS-33 used Discovery in Nov 89.
Columbia is the Long Duration orbiter, and Discovery for some reason can
lift the most.  But for the most part they are interchangeable.  Perhaps
we should ask the expert....Henry?

Michael Kent
mvk@pawl.rpi.edu