@S1-A.ARPA,@MIT-MC.ARPA:rsf@Pescadero (07/30/85)
From: Ross Finlayson <rsf@Pescadero> Dick King asks why the shuttle couldn't attain its required orbital speed simply by burning its two remaining engines longer than usual. My guess is that since the fuel that would have been burned up by the third engine is burned up more slowly than usual (now that only two engines are working), the shuttle doesn't lose weight (due to fuel burning) at the same rate as before. That is, some of the fuel gets to be lifted a little higher than before, leading to a a decrease in the shuttle's final kinetic energy. I'm sure this isn't the whole story; I'll leave it to the experts to fill in more details. Also, in this morning's paper, I read that apparently a second engine was beginning to show signs of overheating (after the first had already been shut down). This can't have been as serious, however, because apparently the crew manually shut down the backup sensor for this engine, to prevent the computers from shutting down this engine as well. Does anyone know what plans exist for aborting a shuttle launch from Vandenberg? Since the shuttles will be launched in a north-to-south direction for polar orbits (correct?), where could they land following an early abort? The only places that come to mind are the Galapagos Islands, and Easter Island, but I don't know if there are sufficiently long runways there. I'm sure NASA would rather not have the shuttle land in Antarctica! Ross.
@S1-A.ARPA,@MIT-MC.ARPA:dsmith%hp-mars.csnet@csnet-relay.arpa (08/01/85)
From: David Smith <dsmith%hplabs.csnet@csnet-relay.arpa> > Does anyone know what plans exist for aborting a shuttle launch from > Vandenberg? Since the shuttles will be launched in a north-to-south > direction for polar orbits (correct?), where could they land following an > early abort? The only places that come to mind are the Galapagos Islands, and > Easter Island, but I don't know if there are sufficiently long runways there. > I'm sure NASA would rather not have the shuttle land in Antarctica! NASA is negotiating to put an emergency landing strip on Easter Island. David Smith ucbvax!hplabs!dsmith
moriarty@fluke.UUCP (John) (08/08/85)
[Remotely posting this for John... Moriarty] In article <2900@mordor.UUCP> @S1-A.ARPA,@MIT-MC.ARPA:dsmith%hp-mars.csnet@csnet-relay.arpa(Dave Smith) writes: > >NASA is negotiating to put an emergency landing strip on Easter Island. > Does any one out there in the know wish to comment on the suggested military applications of such an agreement? I am just not sure, given that NASA has unfortunately come under a much greater military influence during this administration..... Thanks in advance for any commentary. 0 0 (Crises?.... What Crises?) ^ \_/ John Phoenix@ucbtopaz ucbvax!ucbtopaz!phoenix