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Posted by Gene Cash on October 12, 2005, 10:57 am
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Space.com has a diagram, and it says the orbital module is "capable of
independent navigation"
Does this mean it can stay in orbit and function after the crew module
departs? If so, any particular benefit to that? Is this one of the
advances over Soyuz?
-gc
--
"Cutting the space budget really restores my faith in humanity. It
eliminates dreams, goals, and ideals and lets us get straight to the
business of hate, debauchery, and self-annihilation." -- Johnny Hart
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Posted by Jeff Findley on October 12, 2005, 3:56 pm
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> Space.com has a diagram, and it says the orbital module is "capable of
> independent navigation"
> Does this mean it can stay in orbit and function after the crew module
> departs? If so, any particular benefit to that? Is this one of the
> advances over Soyuz?
Yes, yes, and yes.
In the short term, it allows you to run automated experiments long after the
crew module departs. In the long term, you can use those orbital modules as
the (at least partial) basis for a space station in LEO. They could at
least be used as storage modules for a station. You can later pack them
with trash and then undock them (and likely command them to reenter and burn
up).
Jeff
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Remove icky phrase from email address to get a valid address.
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Posted by Rick Jones on October 12, 2005, 8:57 pm
Please log in for more thread options Isn't it Shenzhou 6?
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> Space.com has a diagram, and it says the orbital module is "capable
> of independent navigation"
show/hide quoted text
> Does this mean it can stay in orbit and function after the crew
> module departs?
I believe so.
show/hide quoted text
> If so, any particular benefit to that?
Well, if the thing has docking connectors on both ends, Shenzhou 7
could bring another one up, and then Shenzhou 8 a third, and after
adding little to little, soon there could be a great pile, or a string
of pearls if you prefer. Presto, a "space station." :) As a bonus,
the Chinese get practice in orbital rendezvous.
I've no idea how many one could expect to chain together before it
became unwieildy, but I suppose if Shenzhou N brought-up a "cross
peice" or something it could become more than just a long string. And
there is the question of how long any one module can remain in orbit
independently I suppose among a myriad of other questions no doubt.
rick jones
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firebug n, the idiot who tosses a lit cigarette out his car window
these opinions are mine, all mine; HP might not want them anyway... :)
feel free to post, OR email to rick.jones2 in hp.com but NOT BOTH...
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Posted by Dr John Stockton on October 13, 2005, 6:58 pm
Please log in for more thread options Oct 2005 20:57:52, seen in news:sci.space.tech, Rick Jones
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>Well, if the thing has docking connectors on both ends, Shenzhou 7
>could bring another one up, and then Shenzhou 8 a third, and after
>adding little to little, soon there could be a great pile, or a string
>of pearls if you prefer. Presto, a "space station." :) As a bonus,
>the Chinese get practice in orbital rendezvous.
>I've no idea how many one could expect to chain together before it
>became unwieildy, but I suppose if Shenzhou N brought-up a "cross
>peice" or something it could become more than just a long string. And
>there is the question of how long any one module can remain in orbit
>independently I suppose among a myriad of other questions no doubt.
If they're feeling clever, they point the docking connectors 18 degrees
off-axis. Then, after launching ten, they have a ring.
If they're feeling really clever, they add a little twist. Then they
can have a helix ... "Combined Operation", James White.
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© John Stockton, Surrey, UK. ?@merlyn.demon.co.uk Turnpike v4.00 MIME. ©
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Web <URL:http://www.merlyn.demon.co.uk/> - FAQqish topics, acronyms & links;
Astro stuff via astron-1.htm, gravity0.htm ; quotings.htm, pascal.htm, etc.
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> independent navigation"
> Does this mean it can stay in orbit and function after the crew module
> departs? If so, any particular benefit to that? Is this one of the
> advances over Soyuz?