Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Path: utzoo!henry
From: henry@utzoo.uucp (Henry Spencer)
Subject: Re: Soviet shuttle
Message-ID: <1988Oct5.232401.15176@utzoo.uucp>
Organization: U of Toronto Zoology
References: <1988Oct1.224801.11041@utzoo.uucp> <1109@cfa237.cfa250.harvard.edu> <6798@dasys1.UUCP> <4933@hplabsb.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 5 Oct 88 23:24:01 GMT

In article <4933@hplabsb.UUCP> dsmith@hplabsb.UUCP (David Smith) writes:
>What I wonder is why, with Energia to launch payloads, the SU shuttle
>needs to be the size (as well as shape) of the US shuttle.  Why not
>a Dyna-Soar-sized vehicle to go up on a Proton?  Actually, if I recall
>my AW&ST right, the Soviets are developing two shuttles, and the little
>one is a lifting body comparable to Dyna-Soar or Hermes.  Just what is
>the mission of the big shuttle?

Returning major payloads from orbit.  That's the one thing that the Soviets
can't do with their existing hardware.

The purpose of the little Soviet shuttle is very unclear.  It's been said
to be everything from a maneuvering warhead prototype to an experimental
vehicle for hypersonic technology work.

Proton is not man-rated, by the way.
-- 
The meek can have the Earth;    |    Henry Spencer at U of Toronto Zoology
the rest of us have other plans.|uunet!attcan!utzoo!henry henry@zoo.toronto.edu