[extropy-chat] good space shuttle article

[Mike Lorrey]

There is no reason why an unmanned HLLV can't just be made with the
SRBs, the tank with engines mounted in its rear. This would essentially
allow nearly the entire weight of the Shuttle as cargo (about 122,000
kg). Assuming a 10k kg upper cowling, it could easily match the
performance of the Energia. Zubrin essentially proposed this with his
Ares concept: http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/ares.htm, to launch the
elements for his Mars Direct proposal, though this Thiokol concept
(http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/hear2015.htm) is more like what I had
in mind.

NASA needs to, if it is going to remain in the launch business (which
IMHO it shouldn't) separate launching cargo from launching people.
Launching cargo should be done as cheaply as possible, while launching
people should be done as safely as possible. The Shuttle's 99.14%
safety record isn't good enough for human use. It is fine for cargo. It
should be optimized to launch as much cargo as possible with no people.

Generally speaking, the traditional booster makers should develop
private cargo launching companies and boosters, while the x-prize
generation of entrepreneurs, along with other entrants, should be
dealing in the people orbiting business. By 2010, IMHO, NASA should be
contracting the sending of its astronauts to the ISS with a private
entity like Virgin Galactic or any competitors that crop up. They can
meet up there with any elements of a NASA interplanetary program they
launch on cargo launchers.

--- Bret Kulakovich <bret at bonfireproductions.com> wrote:

> 
> 
> This is wonderful, wonderful news.
> 
> Here is the original source of the article:
> http://www.planetary.org/aimformars/study-summary.html
> http://www.planetary.org/aimformars/study-report.pdf
> 
> 
> The fact that we are open now to something different is the best news
>  
> that could come from NASA. The notion of using 'what works' as a gap 
> 
> filler to get us through development of new vehicles is great. A  
> capsule based approach will let us toss 6+ people aloft with each
> SRM.
> 
> Just for book keeping: The Russian Energia can lift 118 tons to LEO, 
> 
> so the article making this the world-dominating HLLV isn't exactly  
> so. That, and their is a Russian plan to build a super-heavy lift  
> that is already past the design stage, and just needs money.  
> Additionally, the SRM is approved for human transport, but not "human
>  
> rated" yet. We have yet to run an SRM standalone, which will require 
> 
> different throttling. In a solid propellant device, this may also  
> mean different propellant.
> 
> There is also a Russian Soyuz-replacement called the Klipper, that  
> could be rolling out soon:
> http://www.russianspaceweb.com/
> 
> 
> 
> While we are re-hashing 60s and 70s design: our next big step should 
> 
> be nuclear, and we should go right for the Liberty Ship HLLV:
> 
> Main:
> http://www.nuclearspace.com/a_liberty_ship.htm
> Gas Core info:
> http://www.nuclearspace.com/a_liberty_ship7.htm
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaseous_fission_reactor
> 
> We have enough data and work on the NERVA and other projects to do  
> this right.
> 
> 
> ]3
> 
> 
> On Aug 3, 2005, at 12:55 AM, spike wrote:
> 
> >
> > I don't wish to be a prophet of gloom, but I would consider
> > it reasonably likely that the space shuttle will fly no more
> > forever.
> >
> > http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/02/science/space/02nasa.html? 
> > ex=1280635200&en
> > =c97b63d7bb47af82&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
> >
> > {8-[   Sigh.
> >
> > spike
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > extropy-chat mailing list
> > extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org
> > http://lists.extropy.org/mailman/listinfo/extropy-chat
> >
> 
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> 


Mike Lorrey
Vice-Chair, 2nd District, Libertarian Party of NH
"Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom.
It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves."
                                      -William Pitt (1759-1806) 
Blog: http://intlib.blogspot.com

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