BRUC@MIT-MC.ARPA (Robert E. Bruccoleri) (12/05/85)
Although it is a small point, no communication satellite launched by the shuttle has ever been destroyed or irretrievably lost. To recount, the TDRS made to its station by consuming most of its reserve fuel after the second stage of the IUS failed, the two satellites stranded by PAM failures were recovered, and the Hughes Leasat was repaired and made its way to geosynchronous orbit.
karn@petrus.UUCP (Phil R. Karn) (12/05/85)
> Although it is a small point, no communication satellite launched by the > shuttle has ever been destroyed or irretrievably lost. To recount, the TDRS > made to its station by consuming most of its reserve fuel after the second > stage of the IUS failed, the two satellites stranded by PAM failures > were recovered, and the Hughes Leasat was repaired and made its way to > geosynchronous orbit. And the Leasat launched on the the very same rescue mission failed promptly after reaching geostationary orbit, beyond service-call range of the shuttle. Our highest priority right now should be a LEO/GEO transfer vehicle, which is even more important than the space station. Phil
dietz@SLB-DOLL.CSNET (Paul Dietz) (12/06/85)
>And the Leasat launched on the the very same rescue mission failed promptly >after reaching geostationary orbit, beyond service-call range of the shuttle. >Our highest priority right now should be a LEO/GEO transfer vehicle, >which is even more important than the space station. >Phil Yes. You'll also need a place to store & service the OTV in low orbit, perhaps an unmanned or intermittently manned platform of some kind.
henry@utzoo.UUCP (Henry Spencer) (12/08/85)
> Yes. You'll also need a place to store & service the OTV in low orbit, > perhaps an unmanned or intermittently manned platform of some kind. No. Parking your car does not imply a parking garage. Nobody is going to run off with the OTV. Having a space station to park the OTV at is a convenience, not a requirement. -- Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology {allegra,ihnp4,linus,decvax}!utzoo!henry