Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!dalsqnt!pollux!ti-csl!DMeyer@mips.csc.ti.com
From: DMeyer@mips.csc.ti.com (Dane Meyer)
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: RE: Shuttle Escape Systems
Message-ID: <48048@ti-csl.CSNET>
Date: 5 May 88 14:35:08 GMT
Sender: news@ti-csl.CSNET
Lines: 36
In-reply-to: <1988May2.233724.5179@utzoo.uucp>


I received quite a few responses to my original posting, both here and
e-mail -- all of them were very good.  Thanks.  I sent a copy of one
particularily thorough response to Ken Scofield, who was asking about
this in the first place, and he still had the following comments.  Many
of you said that you just can't separate the entire shuttle from the
SRBs & Tank while the SRB's are firing ...  and I believe you ...  but
maybe someone could elaborate on the specifics.  Please copy Ken
directly (and me if you don't post) on your response as he does not have
access to the net.

Thanks.

Dane Meyer  (Texas Instruments, Dallas)
                                                                 
ARPA/CSnet: dmeyer@csc.ti.com
UUCP:       {convex!smu im4u texsun pollux ihnp4!infoswx rice}!ti-csl!dmeyer


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  On the shuttle subject, the response you got was very thorough and inter-
esting, but one more possibility came to mind which wasn't discussed.  Why
not just jettison the entire shuttle craft from the tank/booster assembly?
As I see it, the tank/booster assembly would just continue on its merry way
until it self-destructed, but the shuttle could glide off into the sunset
(sunrise?) and live happily ever after.  Two arguments I've heard against
this are:  The shuttle would break up due to aerodynamic forces, and/or it
would be burned up in the departing booster's firetail.  Neither of these set
well with me, because (a) the shuttle is designed to re-enter the atmosphere
in excess of Mach 25, and (b) do so with skin temperatures of several thousand
degrees.  So, what's the big problem?  You may post this one, too, if desired.

Ken Scofield

  ARPA:   kas@hp-pcd.hp.com
  UUCP:   {convex, ames, im4u!rutgers, rice}!hp-pcd!hpcvic!kas
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