Re: Could a shuttle be invisible?

On Tue, 12 Apr 2005 12:46:09 -0500, thomsona@xxxxxxxxx wrote
(in article <1113327969.741032.111620@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>):

>
> ed kyle wrote:
>
>> A Titan IV can put more than 20 tons into LEO and its
>> largest payload shroud is more than 5 meters in diameter
>> and 26 meters long (big enough to handle shuttle payload
>> bay-sized payloads).
>
> Historically, and not insignificantly, it's the other
> way around: The shuttle payload bay is large enough to
> handle heavy-Titan (IV and precursor) payloads.
>

Actually, I think it's you who's phrased it backwards; Ed was correct
in his initial post. The Titan IV was implemented to end DoD's
reliance on STS launch capability following the Challanger accident.
Its physical payload size requirements were established with the
shuttle payload bay dimensions in mind, so as to minimize impact on
existing and in-production payloads which had been intended for launch
via shuttle.

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<http://www.angryherb.net>

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