ahiggins@uxe.cso.uiuc.edu (01/31/89)
From: tneff@well.UUCP (Tom Neff) > Station? Is that just the budget cubbyhole? Also, how does NASA plan > to "refurbish" AIRS if it's in polar orbit? Is this dependent on a > working OMV? Surely a polar Shuttle mission would be too expensive > for a purpose like this. Not only would it be expensive, considering the status of VAFB, it would be very unlikely that the shuttle will fly a polar mission. Fortunately, the polar platform is compatible with launches onboard a Titan IV as well as the shuttle. Otherwise, the polar platform might never fly at all. Also, I doubt an OMV would be able to service the polar platform from a normal shuttle mission, since all the OMV mission profiles I've heard of don't allow for more than a one degree change in orbital inclination. It may very well require at OTV to service the polar platform. -- Andrew J. Higgins | Illini Space Development Society 404 1/2 E. White St apt 3 | a chapter of the National Space Society Champaign IL 61820 | at the University of Illinois phone: (217) 359-0056 | P.O. Box 2255 Station A e-mail: ahiggins@uxe.cso.uiuc.edu | Champaign IL 61825 "A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject" - Sir Winston Churchill