eugene@eos.UUCP (Eugene Miya) (10/14/88)
You know, all the complaints of VAFB weight requirements and whether to make
SRBs 1 pieces or several are all the same. Should we use Unix or Multics?
Should we use a uniprocessor or a multiprocessor? DO we make satellites
one big piece or several smaller ones?
I've harped that these two completing design philosophies exist in
aerospace. Segmenting as we have seen is a problem, but I think we are
going to have to do it more.
The things designed (like the HST) to fit for just one launch mission
are partially at fault. One Galileo design would have required two launches
and in orbit assembly. I think we are using the cargo bay in a completely
wrong fashion (but I can see the short term economy of scale). The down
side is that the in orbit assembly requires heavier more complex designs
(things you CAN assemble in orbit: not trivial).
I think we have to start designing payloads with the option of complete
or partial launch with a minimum of in orbit assembly (added nuts and bolts).
Another rambling generalization from
--eugene miya, NASA Ames Research Center, eugene@aurora.arc.nasa.gov
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