Re: What Happened to the MMU?

"Jim" <me@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:45c2c43a$0$24518$4c368faf@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
What ever happened to the MMU? Why are they no longer used? On the two
flights I remember they worked out pretty well. I'm sure this is an
asked/answered topic, but I thought I would post on topic for a change.

IIRC it doesn't really work that much better (if at all) than maneuvering
the orbiter and using the RMS arm. Plus, it introduces a whole bunch of
extra failure modes, has hard limitations (i.e. fuel) and makes the crew
activity plan much more complex. So overall it's much simpler to just nudge
the orbiter in close to the target and snare it with the arm.

One of those situations where the bleeding-edge of technology is actually
worse than lower-tech solutions.

--
Terrell Miller
millerto@xxxxxxxxxxxxx

"One machine can do the work of fifty ordinary men. No machine can do the
work of one extraordinary man."
- Elbert Hubbard


.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: What Happened to the MMU?
    ... the orbiter and using the RMS arm. ... nudge the orbiter in close to the target and snare it with the arm. ... whats means IIRC? ... Fill what's empty, empty what's full, and scratch where it ...
    (sci.space.history)
  • Re: 4 Astronauts Will Be on Emergency Standby, Ready to Rush to theRescue of Next Shuttle
    ... > the initial test flights). ... the processing for the rescue orbiter would accelerate as soon ... as damage is suspected. ... NASA will be *very* reluctant to try to bring a crew home on a damaged ...
    (sci.space.shuttle)
  • Re: Delays threaten station timetable
    ... NASA isn't adding more flights, it simply had longer than expected ... flights of each Orbiter". ... not break the spirit/intents of the CAIB report. ...
    (sci.space.shuttle)
  • Re: Whats nasa thinking
    ... >the timelines for many of them are tight with seven people - there's a ... I just brought up the matter because most ISS flights seem to have two EVA crew ... suppose this may be why NASA was so interested in looking at an orbiter staying ... at a space station for extended periods in the early 90's (using an EDO pallet ...
    (sci.space.shuttle)
  • Re: STS51L Accident Questions
    ... >>(Especially if you consider the prospect of one Orbiter being in ... >>if it lands elsewhere, or the time lost from landing or launch delays, ... > That all should have been figured into that turnaround time... ... So was sixty flights a year with five Orbiters. ...
    (sci.space.history)