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From: eugene@ames.UUCP (Eugene Miya)
Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: Re: transatmospheric vehicle
Message-ID: <1297@ames.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 30-Dec-85 18:47:50 EST
Article-I.D.: ames.1297
Posted: Mon Dec 30 18:47:50 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 1-Jan-86 04:28:53 EST
References: <8512291705.AA07111@s1-b.arpa>
Organization: NASA-Ames Research Center, Mtn. View, CA
Lines: 19

> >Has anyone ever thought about the environmental impact that an air-breathing
> >x-atmos vehicle is likely to cause?
> 
> This harks back to the anti-SST argument concerning NOx emissions
> destroying the ozonosphere (which was vastly overblown).

I think you raise a valid point and the Office of Technological Accessment
(OTA) should probably start such a study.  We certainly have people here
and at NCAR who could probably do it.  Linking this to SST hysteria
(both pro and con) would do this no end of harm.  We are a ways
from building this type of vehicle ( >5 years, at least).  Since Skylab
fell on Australia, NASA has tended to think about environmental "impacts."
This includes the Space Station.  One must not be blinded by technological
wonders.

--eugene miya
  NASA Ames Research Center
  {hplabs,ihnp4,dual,hao,decwrl,allegra}!ames!aurora!eugene
  emiya@ames-vmsb.ARPA