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Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!bloom-beacon!mit-eddie!killer!texbell!bellcore!grits!ddavey
From: ddavey@grits.ctt.bellcore.com (Doug Davey)
Newsgroups: sci.space,sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Re: space news from March 27 AW&ST
Message-ID: <15988@bellcore.bellcore.com>
Date: 8 May 89 17:29:49 GMT
References: <1989May8.033250.18780@utzoo.uucp>
Sender: news@bellcore.bellcore.com
Reply-To: ddavey@grits.UUCP (Doug Davey)
Organization: Planning and Engineering Systems Lab, Bellcore
Lines: 26

In article <1989May8.033250.18780@utzoo.uucp> henry@utzoo.uucp (Henry Spencer) writes:
> 
> Discovery lands after highly successful mission.  NASA had hoped to
> conclude the mission with a crosswind landing, but the winds didn't
> cooperate and NASA instead used the concrete runway at Edwards so
> that hard-surface braking tests could be run.  [Radical, innovative
> thought:  if they want landing and braking tests, why not dust off
> Enterprise and run some more 747 drop tests?  Nah, too simple and
> effective.]  NASA says the orbiter is in good shape, with tile damage

The 747 that was used for the drop tests is the same one that is
used to ferry the orbiters from Edwards to KSC.  Currently, there is
only one such specially modified 747 in existence.  It is therefore
one of the single points of failure for the entire shuttle system.
Without it, shuttles don't get ferried and the system stops.
I hope NASA uses it only for missions that it alone can carry out.
Since there is at least a possibility of doing crosswind landings
and/or hard surface braking tests each time the orbiters land, without
risking the 747, it would be imprudent to revive the drop tests until
a second ferry vehicle is available.


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