Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Path: utzoo!henry
From: henry@zoo.toronto.edu (Henry Spencer)
Subject: Re: Edwards as primary site
Message-ID: <1991May13.181157.7636@zoo.toronto.edu>
Date: Mon, 13 May 1991 18:11:57 GMT
References: <72189@microsoft.UUCP> <1991May12.182355.13384@elroy.jpl.nasa.gov> <32809@usc> <1991May13.172439.13053@eagle.lerc.nasa.gov>
Organization: U of Toronto Zoology

In article <1991May13.172439.13053@eagle.lerc.nasa.gov> fsfrick@bones.UUCP (David Fricker) writes:
>The scuttlebutt I heard is that the space shuttle launch pad at
>Vandenburg was not approved by NASA.  Vandenburg has a setup
>allowing covering up the shuttle payload bay, etc., for security.
>For some reason, this includes a confined rocket exhaust deflector.
>The U.S. Air Force couldn't convince NASA that a buildup of hydrogen
>would not occur in case of a failed rocket ignition...

The odd structure of the exhaust duct is a relic of the pad's original
design (it wasn't built from scratch for the shuttle) rather than a
security issue.  The risk of hydrogen buildup, while not entirely trivial,
was basically used as an excuse to terminate a project that nobody wanted
any more.  It's the sort of engineering problem that would be solved in
a few weeks without fuss if people wanted it solved.

>Air Force has a full-blown (no pun intended) space shuttle launch pad
>with a sophisticated exhaust deflector system sitting there doing
>nothing.

Work is now underway on converting it for Titan IV use, actually.
-- 
And the bean-counter replied,           | Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology
"beans are more important".             |  henry@zoo.toronto.edu  utzoo!henry