Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!seismo!sundc!netxcom!ewiles
From: ewiles@netxcom.UUCP (Edwin Wiles)
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Re: space news from Aug 15 AW&ST
Message-ID: <972@netxcom.UUCP>
Date: 12 Sep 88 16:17:54 GMT
References: <1988Sep12.032459.25617@utzoo.uucp>
Reply-To: ewiles@netxcom.UUCP (Edwin Wiles)
Followup-To: sci.space.shuttle
Organization: NetExpress Communications, Inc., Vienna, VA
Lines: 26

In article <1988Sep12.032459.25617@utzoo.uucp> henry@utzoo.uucp (Henry Spencer) writes:
>No attempt would be made to recover Shuttle-C's SSMEs; they would be
>SSMEs that are near the end of their rated lives as shuttle engines.

Am I correct in believing:
	a) These are the 'main' liquid fuel engines for a shuttle?
    and
	b) That they would make it to the same orbit as the payload?

If so, these engines could be recovered in orbit, for use in 'scooters'.
Some sort of small craft that didn't need much in the way of thrust, so
that they could be run at something like 10% (or less) of their normal
thrust.  If the Shuttle-C would have OMS engines as well, these would be
even more useful in this capacity.  The SSMEs being used for larger
versions, and the OMSs being used for smaller 1 or 2 man versions.

Would their 'wear-and-tear' at that point in their life make them totally
unuseable?  Even if they were severely downrated for maximum thrust?

What does the net think?  Does anyone know what NASA thinks?

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