CDN Astronaut: Shuttle Is Best

I can't say I disagree and have expressed this sentiment on the ATS boards a number of times. I for one have serious concerns that humans will be launched on a single SRB as proposed in "the Vision thing". Astronaut MacLean does make some points that are sure to make a return to space for him less likely - the guy's got nutz.

If the OV/STS must be retired please send it lock. stock and barrel to Canada. We have a wonderful spot to launch from - Churchill Manitoba. Those with an interest please read on at the CBC story. I will be visiting CSA at St. Hubert in the not-too-distant future and I will be sure to "sniff the breeze" on potential repercussions. I think MacLean has political aspirations...

Victor K.

41'

[edit on 11-10-2006 by V Kaminski]

I agree that the Shuttle is a great space vehicle and that every little issue about is blown way out of proportion in the news, but I do feel that it's time for them to go fairly soon.

I may not be an Astronaut, Scientist or an Engineer, I really disagree with this part.



How does going with a winged vehicle push technology more? Or advance material and engineering sciences more than the capsule design would? That makes no sense to me at all. I don't see why the Orion can't do all the things listed above. Besides I think at this point in time, it would be more important to work more effectively in space than to push technology (not that you can't do both).

What advantages do wings give a space vehicle anyway? It allows it glide back down to Earth. It's hard to say if that is an advantage since a capsule can land anywhere, be it on land or water and it's not limited to a runway. Wings also add unneeded weight and are useless for going to the Moon or even Mars (due to it's very thin atmosphere). So I really don't get how a winged spacecraft is better than a non-winged spacecraft.

As far as I'm concerned, Canada can have them! But I think they're more likely to end up as museum pieces.

Launching human beings on a single SRB is safer? OK, if that's what the consensus is... I'd be happy to "up" on an Ares V but on an Ares I... no, no-way. Once that puppy's lit ain't no way to throttle it or shut it down... remember STS-107? Well they worked around that particular issue - O Ring "burn-through" and have a decent "escape scenario"... but on a single SRB the risk of a Criticality One malfunction has less options. If a single SRB has a "hang-fire" or "chunk-out" or nozzle failure... the vector of escape could well be random - up, down, sideways... bad news for those on-board. Picture fireworks rockets corkscrewing out of control with humans sittin' on top..

If the US wants to get rid of the OV's, I think it would be good to "keep them around" just in case Ares I has "troubles". The primary reason why Shuttle is going bye-bye is 43's autocratic myopia.

Shuttle is a good design - dated, yes, but also one of the better understood lift platforms that can handle humans and cargo (lots of cargo) at the same time.

Heard abou the problems with the CEV heatshield designs yet? They can't even test them on the scale required as plasma-arc flames can't be scaled up to the size needed for testing... a one piece large diameter heatshield... biggest yet and only small sample materials testing and computer sims... they might get away with it, perhaps not. If they don't... well, that'd be bad - America needs multiple systems to insure success in such risky science.

Victor K.

41'

[edit on 12-10-2006 by V Kaminski]

The Ares rockets are based loosely upon Saturn V design. von Braun's legacy has and will last a long time. The shuttle has immensely bad PR, and many more malfunctions on average than it's predecessors. It is also a big money drain in the NASA budget.

If it was up to me, I'd focus development on the Nuclear Rockets But as we all know the real tech is completely off limit to civilian fronts such as NASA.

I'm sorry SteveR I beg to differ. I'm interested in accuracy when it comes to ATS stuff. Ares I is an SRB (Shuttle derivative) with 5 sections instead of 4. Ain't one bit of Saturn in her. Ares V is RS-68 Titan (later revised to Delta IV spec) motors wrapped in SRB's. The Ares V third stage could be sort of loosley be compared to Saturn in that it has a liquid fueled cryo motor... no Saturn parts or design elements.



For Ares I data visit the NASA link.

For Ares V data visit the NASA link.

For info on the Orion (CEV) heat shield visit the NASA link.

Victor K.

41'

[edit on 12-10-2006 by V Kaminski]