Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Path: utzoo!henry
From: henry@utzoo.uucp (Henry Spencer)
Subject: Re: Shuttle Facilities ( was : Shuttle trips to the Moon )
Message-ID: <1989Jan19.031325.21177@utzoo.uucp>
Organization: U of Toronto Zoology
References: <566@gould.doc.ic.ac.uk> <40ebe2ca.298d@dl298d.engin.umich.edu>
Date: Thu, 19 Jan 89 03:13:25 GMT

In article <40ebe2ca.298d@dl298d.engin.umich.edu> sheppard@caen.engin.umich.edu (Ken  Sheppardson) writes:
>  What's the critical point in the shuttle processing routine which limits
>  the turnaround time...

Probably orbiter processing time before stacking (i.e. still in the
Orbiter Processing Facility rather than the VAB), but I could be wrong.

>  I realize there is only one active launch pad (?), one VAB, etc., but which
>  of these causes the longest delay ?  ...

None of these things is a bottleneck, really.  There are two pads, although
39A is inactive right now due to lack of demand.  There are, I think, three
mobile launchers.  The VAB has four bays, each of which could be used for
stacking a mission (three were active at times during Apollo), although
the two that are now used for storage might need some minor work first.
The Orbiter Processing Facility has two servicing bays.  There are at
least two, and I think in fact four, control rooms in Launch Control
(although again, they're probably not all fully equipped nowadays).
There are even two crawlers.

The big bottleneck, I would say, is simply the horrendous amount of
manpower that goes into turning the orbiters around after each mission.
Little things like the continuing shortage of spare parts don't help.
-- 
Allegedly heard aboard Mir: "A |     Henry Spencer at U of Toronto Zoology
toast to comrade Van Allen!!"  | uunet!attcan!utzoo!henry henry@zoo.toronto.edu