Kovnat.HENR@PARC-MAXC.ARPA (06/29/83)
I'm curious as to whether any of the "reusable" solid-rocket boosters from any of the space shuttle missions have in fact been reused? Does anyone know?
Howard.DLOS@PARC-MAXC.ARPA (06/29/83)
First, a 200 lb. man is not going to require a whole lot of extra fuel, considering that he makes up less than .1% of the shuttle's weight (of course, that is including the cargo's weight but minus the enormous fuel tanks' weight). In fact, most of the cost involved in sending a person round trip is the enormous amount of training it takes to make sure that passenger will not endanger the mission or the other passengers. However, if you're going to send a person on a one-way trip who will not be gathering imformation, it would be easier to have him go unconscious. Therefore you save thousands of dollars by not having to train this person.( that is, if you don't dump the space suit with the convict) Second, by shuttling mass murderers you would be protecting the public from a mentally imbalanced person, but you would get no return one taking a sf writer ( scientists are a different matter, but I didn't complain about them going ) for the following reasons. Now that the shuttle has finally started shuttling, the program is in no immediate danger, so why do you need to convert the masses. Eventually when it starts making a profit and is turned over to the private sector of business, the only deciding factor for continuing is whether or not that business turns a profit. If the public doesn't like seeing the money spent for the shuttle, then that's their problem. Third, my proposal is not wasteful, in fact is efficient. Consider the fact that airlines lose money whenever considerably less than a full load because they use the approximately the same amount of fuel in flying 20 passengers as they do in flying 200. Therefore, why is taking an extra passenger or two wasteful, when the shuttle as always flown with less than 50% full capacity. Finally, STS dumping is not inferior to other means of execution. If a stay of execution is granted before the prisoner is dumped, then the astronauts can be notified( we do have two-way communication available with the shuttle). The first ones to be executed will not be glorified, rather they will become answers to trivia questions( we would not want to execute a person whose guilt is in doubt anyway ). Since, the executee will not be wearing a space suit upon release from the shuttle, the only way to know where he's at is to go up and look for him . And for you to suggest that there is any possibility of him not being totally vaporized is ridiculous and if any ashes did fall to earth they would be so widely scattered that you wouldn't know they were ashes(not to mention the fact that you couldn't even predict where they would fall.) Mr. Maas, as you can see, my proposal is not absurd, although if you still think so, then I suggest that you sit down and seriously think about my proposal before coming up with any objections( something that I don't believe you have done yet ). And after you have finished that, then I hope you can find the time to write me an apology for calling me a "sick idiot". Doug