Message-ID: <1126@ucf-cs.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 21-Dec-83 20:11:38 EST
Article-I.D.: ucf-cs.1126
Posted: Wed Dec 21 20:11:38 1983
Date-Received: Tue, 27-Dec-83 03:14:58 EST
References: flairvax.290, <340@sytek.UUCP>
Organization: University of Central Florida
Lines: 78
[warning -- the first 30 lines are heavy satire, followed ]
[by a reasonable proposition. So don't hit 'q' too fast. ]
I have a couple questions for the folks at NPR:
1: How do the astronauts know where they are?
Do they by roadmaps at the 267 km alt. Shell Station?
2: Speaking of Shell Stations, what do they do when nature
calls? After all, these are not short interorbital hops
(if they where, why not move the entire shuttle?)
3: How do they communicate with the Shuttle? A Radio-Shack
walkie-talkie?
4: Will the space moped have an air-conditioner? heater?
5: What happens if they have a flat? (O.K. -- my sarcasm is
getting too severe, I will get somewhat more serious.)
6: Who do they change direction? Tilt the thing (of course,
with gyroscopes ...)
7: Are there rest stations out there, so the astronauts can
get off and stretch?
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Now that that is out of my system, time for a rational comment:
Unless they want to send crews out with very little life-support
equipment, it seems that any 'moped' is still going to be *very*
large. As a quick estimate, I would say at least the size of a
Gemini capsule. Now I know that the equipment size has shrunk,
but human nature is to put more stuff into the newly opened space,
resulting in no net change. Since Gemini was before my time, I
don't have a good handle on how many you can fit into a shuttle
cargo bay, but it can't be that many.
Of course, once a *permament* space station is up, then I think
several such 'mopeds' moored to the station is an excellent idea.
One possibility would be to build a few more shuttles, leave off
the tiles and wings, put in a long rod (for the control jets that
are on the ends of the wings), or possibily replace the wings (in
space) with a wire mesh platform, and upgrade it so that it can
handle longer duration missions. Launch it, remove the main
engines for use in launching the next 'moped', and trim the thing.
Wa La (sp?) -- a proved, spaceworthy, somewhat economical 'space
moped'.
Or, for that proposed lunar base, retain the main engines and ET.
I recall seeing (somewhere) that the energy required for LEO to
Lunar orbit is approximately the same. (or was that to Mars?)
Anyway, we once again have a deep-space manned vehicle which is
derived from the shuttle, and hence somewhat economical & proven.
Finally, we would have the shuttle and the station/'mopeds'
complimenting each other. For higher orbit satellites, the
shuttle takes the satellite to the station, sticks it on the
'loading dock', the 'moped' loads it up, and deposits it in the
correct orbit. (say, up to geosync). Then we wouldn't have
successful operations/dead patients like the TDRSS/Booster
combination. (Remember the beautiful launch on Overnight?).
Either way, it would certainly not be a very small vehicle if
it is to have man-rating.
Bruce Giles
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