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From: v071pzp4@ubvmsd.cc.buffalo.edu (Craig L Cole)
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Re: Fuel-line door questions...
Message-ID: <63125@eerie.acsu.Buffalo.EDU>
Date: 4 Mar 91 19:49:42 GMT
References: <1991Feb25.204556.16156@athena.mit.edu> <1991Feb26.112746.11838@pbs.org> <1991Feb26.230611.4715@freedom.msfc.nasa.gov> <2433@ksr.com>
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In article <2433@ksr.com>, clj@ksr.com (Chris Jones) writes...
>In article <62941@eerie.acsu.Buffalo.EDU>, v071pzp4@ubvmsd (Craig L Cole) writes:
> 
>This whole thread is a (bad) joke, right?

Geeez! Ask a question!

>                                           ALL they would have to do is to
>launch another shuttle?  It strains credulity to believe NASA could ready and
>launch a shuttle in time to rescue another shuttle in distress.  And, shuttle
>orbits are chosen with mission requirements in mind, not to accommodate some
>hypothetical resupply from Progress or rendezvous with Mir.  Yes, the differing
>inclinations would be a major factor working against a rendezvous.

Okay - how much _can_ the shuttle alter its orbital incliination and
alitutude?

If landing before consumable had run out was impossible, the astronauts
would be able to use the fuel planned for deorbiting to change orbits.
Considering the burns necessary to deorbit the ship, you'd have quite
a bit of fuel to move around.

Of course, a rescue mission would still be needed for the orbiter.
A in-flight refueling, or maybe a booster strapped to it to get it
out of orbit.

>                                                                   Leaving
>aside that (and other orbital mechanics considerations), the shuttle hasn't yet
>ever had a docking system installed.  When it does, it won't be compatible with
>the Soviet system.  Progress would have nothing useful to do even if it and the
>shuttle were in the same orbit.  Also, since only two EVA suits are carried on
>a shuttle mission, any crew transfer to Mir would involve the the untested
>rescue balls.  It certainly seems simpler to just get the damn doors closed.

Of course fixing the doors would be simpler, but the question was,
what if you _couldn't_? About EVAing to Mir -- no one said they all
had to go at once.

Relax a little! If we knew the answers to these questions, we wouldn't
be asking them!

>Chris Jones    clj@ksr.com    {world,uunet,harvard}!ksr!clj

Craig Cole
V071PZP4@UBVMS.CC.BUFFALO.EDU
V071PZP4@UBVMS.BITNET