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From: sjeyasin@zaphod.axion.bt.co.uk (swaraj jeyasingh)
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Re: Misc. Shuttle questions (combined)
Message-ID: <1990Jan29.093459.8685@axion.bt.co.uk>
Date: 29 Jan 90 09:34:59 GMT
References: <33348@cci632.UUCP>
Sender: news@axion.bt.co.uk
Reply-To: sjeyasin@zaphod.axion.bt.co.uk
Organization: British Telecom Research Labs
Lines: 47

From article <33348@cci632.UUCP>, by djw@cci632.UUCP (David Wright):
> 
> 
>     Now to questions about our Shuttle fleet. I noticed in one of the status
>     reports that Peter E. Yee provides (BTW Peter, I really appreciate your 
>     posting these. MUCH more information than what is provided in the media.)
>     that the shuttle is transfered to the VAB via a 'orbiter transporter'. I'm
>     confused, how come they don't just tow it? I would think towing to the VAB,
>     then once it's lifted for stacking, retract the landing gear. What is this
>     transporter?
> 

I'm not sure if this transporter is the same as the crawler transporter used
to take the stack out to the launch pad. My guess is that it is the same.
Here is something I dug up from on of the Shuttle status reports (that man
Peter Yee again) for 4/10/89:

The orbiter transporter will be used to haul Discovery several
hundred yards to the transfer aisle.  By using the
transporter, the landing gears will be retracted for flight in
the OPF versus in the VAB, thereby saving time in the transfer aisle.



> 
> 
>     Lance's Sci.space.shuttle questions:
> 
> 
>     2)  I'm curious about the upcoming Hubble Space Telescope  mission.  
>         I would assume that it is due to be placed in a geosynchronous orbit.
>         How do they plan to get HST up there?  I would think that a booster 
>         (usually used) would be a great risk.  It could burn out early, or 
>         LATE, or explode??  And also, I would think that a lot of its components
>         would need to extend or retract after settling down. What happens if
>         an array gets stuck?  How do we retrieve it?

As far as I know it won't be up at GEO, but nearer to Low Earth
Orbit. So there should be *NO* problems getting at it.




Swaraj Jeyasingh                        sjeyasingh@axion.bt.co.uk
British Telecom Research Labs
IPSWICH IP5 7RE
UK.