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From: gckaplan@sag4.ssl.berkeley.edu (George C. Kaplan)
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Re: Hypothetical Payload Bay Door problems
Message-ID: <1990Nov24.224307.23006@agate.berkeley.edu>
Date: 24 Nov 90 22:43:07 GMT
References: <3731@syma.sussex.ac.uk> <1990Nov3.031615.29332@zoo.toronto.edu> <1990Nov3.165738.10366@uokmax.ecn.uoknor.edu> <1990Nov5.183601.9885@zoo.toronto.edu>
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In article <1990Nov5.183601.9885@zoo.toronto.edu> henry@zoo.toronto.edu (Henry Spencer) writes:
> [...discussion of abort vs. EVA if the doors won't open...]
>
>I *think* the normal procedure on today's "operational" flights is to abort
>if there is a major problem with the doors, on the theory that trouble
>opening them might mean worse trouble closing them.  I could be wrong.
>This rule might also get modified on urgent or time-critical missions.

Wouldn't they also be constrained by the time it takes to prepare for
an EVA?  The astronauts doing the EVA have to prebreathe pure oxygen
for some time (hours?) before they can safely handle the low pressure
of the suits.  How long does it take to get ready for an EVA, and
how much time do they have if the doors are stuck closed?

George C. Kaplan                Internet:  gckaplan@ssl.berkeley.edu
Center for EUV Astrophysics                gckaplan%ssl@jade.berkeley.edu
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