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From: alb@alice.UUCP (Adam L. Buchsbaum)
Newsgroups: net.columbia
Subject: Re: Getting it back to the Cape
Message-ID: <2717@alice.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 15-Apr-84 10:18:20 EST
Article-I.D.: alice.2717
Posted: Sun Apr 15 10:18:20 1984
Date-Received: Sun, 15-Apr-84 23:35:16 EST
References: <474@ihuxa.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill
Lines: 14

1) The main engines cannot be reused until they are refurbished,
   a process that takes a week or two.  (Note, the countdown can
   be halted at any point up until the SRB's ignite; if it is
   halted AFTER the main engines ignite, the launch would be
   delayed for about two weeks until the ME's could be refurbished
   (basically cleaned up).)

2) There is no launch facility at Edwards, and the shuttle cannot
   take off horizontally.

3) Which do you think costs more?  A jumbo jet ride across the
   country, using commercial airline fuel, or a shuttle ride,
   consuming half a million gallons of liquids hydrogen and
   oxygen (not to mention the cost of an external tank)?