Re: should space shuttle be cancelled?


"Len" <len@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1123451335.145527.30530@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Joann Evans wrote:
> > Cardman wrote:
> > >
> > > On Wed, 03 Aug 2005 01:54:31 GMT, Joann Evans
> > > <bondage@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > >
> > > >The biggest flaw is being a vehicle that even *needs* a crew escape
> > > >system.
>
> I'm glad that someone is stating the obvious.
>
> ....snip....
> >
> > The degree of risk depends entirely on vehicle design. One can easily
> > have winged or (preferably, at least to me) semi-ballistic vehicles that
> > have less loading and heating on their entry surfaces. Low enough that
> > metals, rather than ceramics can be used.
> >
> This shouldn't need to be said--but well said, anyway.
>
> However, with the right kind of design, I think winged can be
> can be just as light as semi-ballistic--but better operationally.
> Our current orbiters are basically ballistic at staging, but
> definitely winged for reentry and landing. The key is to avoid
> high dynamic pressures on the way out; that way, wings don't
> have to be prohibitively heavy. And (cryogenic) tanks can be round
> and structurally efficient. I find that cryogenic cylindrical tanks
> can provide more reentry area per kg of tank mass than shaped tankage.
>
It seems possible to build a ship in such a way that the tankage provides
the primary structure for both ship and lifting surfaces. Space ship
design is largely that of propellant tankage with auxillery components.
Designs need to be explored that use efficient tank shapes, that effectively
accomodate the auxillery components like engines, pilots, payloads,
lifting/control surfaces and such.

I am against conformal tanks or wrapping some sort of ship around
normal tanks. Toroid tanks could use a bit of investigation. There
appears to be an aerodynamic solution for flying them as primary
structure and aero surfaces with a light structure turning the donut
hole into crew and cargo area.
> Best regards,
> Len (Cormier)
> PanAero, Inc.
> x@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx (change x to len)
> http://www.tourspace.com
>


.

Relevant Pages

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