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From: giles@ucf-cs.UUCP (Bruce Giles)
Newsgroups: net.columbia
Subject: Re: Shuttle Security
Message-ID: <1112@ucf-cs.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 7-Dec-83 14:34:33 EST
Article-I.D.: ucf-cs.1112
Posted: Wed Dec  7 14:34:33 1983
Date-Received: Sat, 10-Dec-83 02:33:41 EST
References: <1097@ucf-cs.UUCP> <2043@allegra.UUCP>, <4162@umcp-cs.UUCP>
Organization: University of Central Florida
Lines: 43

I am not as concerned about someone actually shooting down a shuttle
in ascent as I am with 'nuisance' sabotage.

An example of what I am talking about it as follows:

	Imagine that it is 23 November, and STS-9 is still on 
	the launch pad, being prepared for launch.  However, it
	is still a week to the launch, and the security peri-
	meter is still pretty loose.  Now, imagine a member of
	a radical fringe in the scrubs with a 30-30.  He raises
	the rifle, fires 20 rounds at the shuttle, and tries
	(unsuccessfully) to escape.  What has he done?  I would
	imagine that he was able to puncture the external
	tank in several places, and possibily chipped a couple
	of the tiles.
	
For *any* launch, the shuttle would have to be rolled back to replace
the external tank.  (Would *you* want to fill a tank with LOX and LH
which has been patched on the launch site?). For STS-9, this would
entail a delay until February, with the loss of millions of dollars
(due to the delay), and the use of the orbiter (since it has to 
wait 3 months for the mission).

How many times will it take until ESA stays with Arianne?  Most companies
go with Arianne because it would then be far more reliable?  Most
companies go with Arianne because of pressure from insurance companies?
The general public begins to hate NASA because it seems to be incompetent
in defending itself/ doing anything right?  (compare the last with the
military after the Vietnam War).

Finally, such damage would be possible using readily available arms, 
not sophisticated weapons such as SAMs (which have their own nightmares).


Bruce Giles
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