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Posted by Eric on September 24, 2006, 5:08 pm
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This topic has been done many times before, especially right after Columbia,
but it may be relevant now than ever...
Lets say Columbia, or any shuttle now, was damaged after lift off. The
extent of the damage, or even that there is any damage, isn't know until it
begins to pull up to the ISS -- and someone looking out the window at the
ISS sees the shuttle and says, "Oh shit!". (Yes, I know Columbia wasn't
doing an ISS mission, but lets assume it was.)
The shuttle is so jacked up that a return is not considered possible. (I
believe that the damage on Columbia was probably so extensive and visible
that, had it been seen up there, someone would have said "Oh shit!".)
Well, two can bail on the Soyuz. (I'm assuming there is a Ruskie always up
there available to fly the thing, so he takes the third slot.) This would
leave 7 at ISS, who are now really stuck up there, so the Soyuz can ruled
out.
Now, lets say NASA is capable is getting another shuttle up there, safely,
within [pick a time frame] and there is enough supplies at ISS (and doomed
shuttle) for [your picked time frame].
Now, this is where I've always read, "Yeah, but that rescue shuttle can only
seat 7!". So, just because there aren't enough seats, people have to die?
Sit on someone's lap. Do whatever it takes. Surely, the cabin has some
leeway for extra weight.. But, if not all the extra weight, then this was
what I was thinking. (Yep, its cynical, but hell 'cynical' is often what
works!)
The shuttle is capable of carrying quite a bit of weight back to Earth in
it's cargo bay, no? I recall this was one of the Air Force's interests in
having a shuttle of their own back in the 80's --- being able to go up and
pluck Soviet satellites out of orbit and bring them back to Earth.
So, the rescue shuttle flies up with as many spacesuits that NASA has
servicable. Also, get that old MMU working again. Yep, its squirrely, but
if it can work - it will work. Take a tether along too.
Park the rescue shuttle as close to the doomed shuttle as possible and one
astronaut, with the MMU and tether, flies to the doomed shuttle (or ISS).
Hook up the tether. Transfer the suits and get everyone suited up. Now,
things have to go relatively fast and be timed as a good return orbit
approaches. Prebreath as much as you can, transfer everyone to the rescue
shuttle, and cargo strap them inside the cargo bay! Yep, just simple cargo
straps.
Yep, they may have one hell of a bumpy ride back there and may have to sit
in a decompression chamber for a while after they get home, but thats
certaintly better than dead!
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Posted by Jorge R. Frank on September 24, 2006, 5:31 pm
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> Now, lets say NASA is capable is getting another shuttle up there,
> safely, within [pick a time frame] and there is enough supplies at ISS
> (and doomed shuttle) for [your picked time frame].
>
> Now, this is where I've always read, "Yeah, but that rescue shuttle
> can only seat 7!". So, just because there aren't enough seats,
> people have to die?
I don't know where you read that, but it's bullshit. The rescue shuttle
carries a crew of four, and a set of recumbent seats in the middeck. It
can carry all eleven back to Earth.
show/hide quoted text
> The shuttle is capable of carrying quite a bit of weight back to Earth
> in it's cargo bay, no? I recall this was one of the Air Force's
> interests in having a shuttle of their own back in the 80's --- being
> able to go up and pluck Soviet satellites out of orbit and bring them
> back to Earth.
>
> So, the rescue shuttle flies up with as many spacesuits that NASA has
> servicable. Also, get that old MMU working again. Yep, its
> squirrely, but if it can work - it will work. Take a tether along
> too.
>
> Park the rescue shuttle as close to the doomed shuttle as possible and
> one astronaut, with the MMU and tether, flies to the doomed shuttle
> (or ISS). Hook up the tether. Transfer the suits and get everyone
> suited up. Now, things have to go relatively fast and be timed as a
> good return orbit approaches. Prebreath as much as you can, transfer
> everyone to the rescue shuttle, and cargo strap them inside the cargo
> bay! Yep, just simple cargo straps.
>
> Yep, they may have one hell of a bumpy ride back there and may have to
> sit in a decompression chamber for a while after they get home, but
> thats certaintly better than dead!
It is also overly convoluted and a hell of a lot less likely to work than
what NASA actually plans to do:
1) Damaged shuttle docks to ISS
2) Stranded crew milks consumables from damaged shuttle until depleted
3) Stranded crew configures orbiter for unmanned undocking and remote-
controlled disposal or landing, depending on extent of damage
4) Rescue shuttle docks with ISS
5) Stranded crew comes home with rescue crew
Much simpler and no screwy Rube Goldberg theatrics.
--
JRF
Reply-to address spam-proofed - to reply by E-mail,
check "Organization" (I am not assimilated) and
think one step ahead of IBM.
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Posted by OM on September 24, 2006, 7:17 pm
Please log in for more thread options On Sun, 24 Sep 2006 16:31:09 -0500, "Jorge R. Frank"
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>Much simpler and no screwy Rube Goldberg theatrics.
...Especially ones originally used in a bad Lee Majors TV movie.
OM
--
]=====================================[
] OMBlog - http://www.io.com/~o_m/omworld [
] Let's face it: Sometimes you *need* [
] an obnoxious opinion in your day! [
]=====================================[
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Posted by Eric on September 24, 2006, 7:56 pm
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>> I don't know where you read that, but it's bullshit. The rescue shuttle
> carries a crew of four, and a set of recumbent seats in the middeck. It
> can carry all eleven back to Earth.
I read 7 so much that I took it as gospel.
Screw it, then! That is much simplier -- just fly everyone home since it
goes Nigel's Eleven!
(To anyone that doesn't get the above reference, google: "Spinal Tap" "goes
to eleven".)
Cheers,
Eric
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Posted by Bash on September 25, 2006, 2:01 am
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> Screw it, then! That is much simplier -- just fly everyone home since it
> goes Nigel's Eleven!
> (To anyone that doesn't get the above reference, google: "Spinal Tap" "goes
> to eleven".)
For the unitiated...
Nigel's key to keeping Tap among England's loudest bands. In "This
is Spinal Tap," he pointed out to director Marty DiBergi that the
settings on Tap's Marshall amps could extend beyond the standard 10
mark.
Nigel: "You see, most blokes will be playing at 10. You're on 10, all
the way up, all the way up...Where can you go from there? Nowhere. What
we do, is if we need that extra push over the cliff...Eleven. One
louder."
DiBergi: "Why don't you just make 10 louder and make 10 be the top
number, and make that a little louder?"
Nigel (after taking a moment to let this sink in): "These go to 11."
:-)
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> safely, within [pick a time frame] and there is enough supplies at ISS
> (and doomed shuttle) for [your picked time frame].
>
> Now, this is where I've always read, "Yeah, but that rescue shuttle
> can only seat 7!". So, just because there aren't enough seats,
> people have to die?