roberts@csd4.milw.wisc.edu (Timothy Roberts) (04/12/89)
In response to the question "what is shuttle centaur and why did it die?" I say this: The shuttle Centaur project was to be a high energy upper stage for the space shuttle allowing deep space probes and *very* heavy clark orbit satellites to be launched from the shuttle payload bay. The vehicle was actually little more than an expanded centaur upper stage from the Atlas ELV with dumping capabilities to ensure safe shuttle landing weights. The fuel was hydrazine and highly caustic. Thus (in the event of aborted take- off) the fuel would have had to be dumped over uninhabited areas at low altitudes to prevent possible serious damage to the environment. Then the Challenger was destroyed and crew safety ruled out the use of the upper stage altogether. This may be one of the decisions that limits the shuttle to use as something very different than its original designs. Deep space probes must now use the Inertial Upper stage and take ridiculous time periods to get where they need to go.