[net.columbia] Shuttle overhaul

dalka (11/17/82)

What exactly is NASA going to do to the shuttle???
I've heard they're going to add lots of new equipment to it.
Someone I talked to went so far as to say they were going to put
new computers in it........

				Ken Dalka
				ihuxe!dalka

ralph (11/17/82)

My information on the shuttle overhaul indicates, among other things:

	o Removal of instruments installed for the test flights.

	o Additional crew seats an whatnot to allow up to 6 people on
	  board.

	o Modifications to the cargo bay to handle the European SpaceLab.

	o Upgrades to the main engines.

	o Addition/Upgrades to the onboard electronics, although the computers
	  were not mentioned specifically.

	o Replacement of some of the famous tiles with the new ablative
	  heat blanket.

I'd be interested in any other info anyone has. 

	Ralph Keyser	BTL Indianapolis	inuxc!ralph

genesis (11/17/82)

I heard that they also plan to install a galley
for cooking in Columbia.  Don't ask me how they
can cook up there, seems to me everything would
just fly around, regardless where they put it.

Russ Sehnoutka
BTL - IW
ihps3!ihuxb!genesis

sjb (11/18/82)

The overhaul will basically consist of the following:

1) Equipment used for the test flights (to gather data on
   the shuttle's performance) will be removed.

2) The ejection seats will be taken out of the cockpit.
   These were deactivated for STS-5, but NASA will actually
   now take them out to make more space in the cockpit.

3) The cargo bay will be strengthened.

4) More space will be provided in the cargo bay, and it
   will be outfitted to carry Spacelab.