Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!know!tegra!vail
From: vail@tegra.COM (Johnathan Vail)
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Re: DoD and Atlantis
Message-ID: <1742@atlas.tegra.COM>
Date: 14 Nov 90 21:48:20 GMT
References: <11209@goofy.Apple.COM>
Organization: Tegra-Varityper, Inc., Billerica, MA
Lines: 28
In-reply-to: keithley@applelink.apple.com's message of 12 Nov 90 16:26:46 GMT


In article <11209@goofy.Apple.COM> keithley@applelink.apple.com (Craig Keithley) writes:

   I would theorize that the reason the DoD mostly uses Atlantis is:

   The newer the shuttle, the lighter it is.   
   The lighter the shuttle, the heavier the payload can be.
   The heavier the payload, the happier the DoD.

   Is this true? (hopefully Henry Spencer knows!)

I don't like to post without solid references but in the spirit of the
net...

I had read (somewhere) that the reason the DOD uses Atlantis mostly is
because *they* paid for it.  Originally it was to be used almost
exlusively by the DOD for the DOD but after Challenger that
distinction got blurred some.  The mentioned technical reasons (weight
and different communication eqpt) would also be valid in this
situation.


"Voyager 2, where are you now, looking back and weeping, cold and
alone in the dark void, winding down and bleeping" -- Bob Geldof
 _____
|     | Johnathan Vail | n1dxg@tegra.com
|Tegra| (508) 663-7435 | N1DXG@448.625-(WorldNet)
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