sahayman@watcgl.UUCP (Steve Hayman) (10/04/85)
It occurred to me while watching the maiden launch of Atlantis that most shuttle launches look very similar. Why not paint each shuttle in some sort of a distinctive scheme that you could spot from a long distance? Atlantis, for instance, could be done in some sort of scheme suggesting waves, maybe by adding blue stripes or something. Maybe there could be a big contest to choose an appropriate design for each shuttle. Of course there may be technical reasons why the entire body of the shuttle could not be coloured, but even painting some stripes or some sort of logo on the tail would be a public relations boost. Small boys (and girls) enjoy spotting the differences between railroad locomotives, airplanes and cars. Why not space vehicles too? Distinctive paint schemes would remove some of the sameness of every launch. NASA is welcome to use this idea if they give me a ride. Or if they name the next orbiter "Steve". I think a fleet of Enterprise, Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis and Steve has a nice ring to it. Steve Hayman University of Waterloo watmath!watcgl!sahayman
dvadura@watdaisy.UUCP (Dennis Vadura) (10/04/85)
I agree it would be a nice thing for little kiddies to be able to tell the
shuttles appart.
But wasn't the reason they stopped painting the external tank white due to
the added mass of the paint. I don't suppose they would be any more
likely to paint the shuttle if the result was a more massive vehicle.
I expect there are are other reasons they don't do this as well.
Even if you wanted to paint it anyone know what kind of paint could
withstand re-entry?
--
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dennis Vadura, Computer Science Dept., University of Waterloo
UUCP: {ihnp4|allegra|utzoo|utcsri}!watmath!watdaisy!dvadura
================================================================================jbs@mit-eddie.UUCP (Jeff Siegal) (10/06/85)
In article <2603@watcgl.UUCP> sahayman@watcgl.UUCP (Steve Hayman) writes: > >It occurred to me while watching the maiden launch of Atlantis that >most shuttle launches look very similar. Why not paint each shuttle >in some sort of a distinctive scheme that you could spot from a >long distance? Paint? Hmm.... (temperature perhaps?) Jeff Siegal
karn@petrus.UUCP (Phil R. Karn) (10/07/85)
Challenger, Discovery and Atlantis all have their names painted on the right wing, just under the NASA logo, and also on the fuselage just behind the cockpit windows. Columbia has it only on the payload bay doors, and just "USA" on the right wing. I've never found it very difficult to tell them apart in good launch photos; the names show up pretty clearly. Phil
bradley@im4u.UUCP (David K. Bradley) (10/07/85)
In article <7435@watdaisy.UUCP> dvadura@watdaisy.UUCP (Dennis Vadura) writes: >But wasn't the reason they stopped painting the external tank white due to >the added mass of the paint. I don't suppose they would be any more >likely to paint the shuttle if the result was a more massive vehicle. > >Even if you wanted to paint it anyone know what kind of paint could >withstand re-entry? Wait a minute. It's painted already -- white! My guess is that the shuttle is white, and will remain white, for thermal reasons. A nice ocean blue shuttle would probably get much hotter orbiting in the sun than a white shuttle would. -- David K. Bradley ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Computer Science Department, bradley@sally.UTEXAS.EDU The University of Texas at Austin bradley@ut-sally.UUCP {ihnp4,harvard,gatech,ctvax,seismo}!ut-sally!bradley -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
mikel@codas.UUCP (Mikel Manitius) (10/09/85)
> > It occurred to me while watching the maiden launch of Atlantis that > most shuttle launches look very similar. Why not paint each shuttle > in some sort of a distinctive scheme that you could spot from a > long distance? There is a good reason for not putting too much paint on the shuttles, for one, all the tiles are white, could you imagine what a jig-saw puzzle it would be if you had to match the right color, not just the right shape and size? Being close to the space center (~50miles), I have been there several times. On one of the tours, they explain why the main booster tank used to be white, and is now red - it's natural color: by not painting it, they saved several tons in weight (the paint alone) and thusly can carry a larger payload. -- ======= Mikel Manitius ==----===== AT&T (305) 869-2462 RNX: 755 ==------===== Information Systems ...{akguc|ihnp4}!codas!mikel ===----====== SDSS Regional Support ...attmail!mmanitius =========== Altamonte Springs, FL My opinions are my own. =======
jeq@laidbak.UUCP (Jonathan E. Quist) (10/09/85)
In article <577@im4u.UUCP> bradley@im4u.UUCP (David K. Bradley) writes: >>Even if you wanted to paint it anyone know what kind of paint could >>withstand re-entry? > >Wait a minute. It's painted already -- white! My guess is that the >shuttle is white, and will remain white, for thermal reasons. A nice >ocean blue shuttle would probably get much hotter orbiting in the >sun than a white shuttle would. Orbiting the sun? Is THAT why the Atlantis mission was so hush-hush? :') (Aren't the silicon tiles white _and_ unpainted?) jeq
jer@peora.UUCP (J. Eric Roskos) (10/09/85)
Maybe cost is also a factor? One of the earlier postings in here referred
to the different colors of locomotives, which reminded me of a historical
fact... rail road locomotives used to be painted in various color schemes
like this, but then Cornelius Vanderbilt started painting his locomotives
all black, in order to save money, which is why the later steam engines
were all black. Maybe it would cost a lot more to paint waves, etc. on
the shuttles?
--
Shyy-Anzr: J. Eric Roskos
UUCP: Ofc: ..!{decvax,ucbvax,ihnp4}!vax135!petsd!peora!jer
Home: ..!{decvax,ucbvax,ihnp4}!vax135!petsd!peora!jerpc!jer
US Mail: MS 795; Perkin-Elmer SDC;
2486 Sand Lake Road, Orlando, FL 32809-7642maurice@nmtvax.UUCP (10/09/85)
> Why not paint each shuttle >in some sort of a distinctive scheme that you could spot from a >long distance? It may be a nice idea, but I think if you got all the orbiters together, it would look horrible. No uniforminity between them. Besides, the DoD probably would like the idea of being able to tell them apart at long distances anyhow. roger
will@anasazi.UUCP (Will Fuller) (10/14/85)
Sell your Hoover stock (nature hates a vacuum)
What might be more amusing would be to use vapor deposition of
some flashy metal like gold or aluminum whilst the shuttle is
in the vacuum of space. A few atomic layers of gold would not
weigh that much and would look real interesting after reentry. <-:
--
William H. Fuller
{decvax|ihnp4|hao}!noao!terak!anasazi!will