[net.space] TDRS spare?

Rem@IMSSS (02/17/86)

It occurs to me that TDRS is so very important that we ought to
build one or two spares now that one was lost in the Challenger explosion.
Perhaps we ought to fit the spares for launch by expendable booster
if that is possible (is the interim upper stage too large for anything
other than STS?).
-------

dave@quest.UUCP (dave) (02/24/86)

> It occurs to me that TDRS is so very important that we ought to
> build one or two spares now that one was lost in the Challenger explosion.
> Perhaps we ought to fit the spares for launch by expendable booster
> if that is possible (is the interim upper stage too large for anything
> other than STS?).

Unfortunatly, TDRS cost ~$100M so I doubt congress will approve
funding for "spares".
-- 

David Messer   UUCP:  ...ihnp4!quest!dave
                      ...ihnp4!encore!vaxine!spark!14!415!sysop
               FIDO:  14/415 (SYSOP)

al@ames.UUCP (Al Globus) (03/05/86)

> > It occurs to me that TDRS is so very important that we ought to
> > build one or two spares now that one was lost in the Challenger explosion.
> 
> Unfortunatly, TDRS cost ~$100M so I doubt congress will approve
> funding for "spares".
> -- 

Spares have already been funded and are under construction.  Launch
dates will have to wait for resolution of the Challenger accident.

lmc@cisden.UUCP (Lyle McElhaney) (03/05/86)

> > It occurs to me that TDRS is so very important that we ought to
> > build one or two spares now that one was lost in the Challenger explosion.
> 
> Unfortunatly, TDRS cost ~$100M so I doubt congress will approve
> funding for "spares".
> 
Ah, but there *was* a spare, fortunately; now its no longer a spare. It
was meant to be a backup earthside, in case of failure of one of the on-orbit
TDRS's. Ultimately, TDRS-A was to be replaced and semi-retired, available
for emergencies, leaving TDRS-B and TDRS-C to handle operations, and TDRS-4
on the ground. Now, everything is moved up.

Initial planning for TDRS started in 1978; like the shuttle, it is not
deemed prudent to build too many backups, because the technology is obsoleted
so fast.

Lyle McElhaney
...hao!cisden!lmc