Re: It's Been Time To Scrap The Shuttle For Years

Brian Thorn <bthorn64@xxxxxxx> wrote in
news:f57ne15k5p5h9l8b4rt0b25o7mi1q94to3@xxxxxxx:

> A Shuttle-borne MPLM carries around 20,000 lbs. of payload to the
> Space Station, compared to around 5,000 lbs. for Progress. So you
> would need four Progress launches to equal Shuttle's resupply
> capability. (Progress can do other things, like reboost, but Shuttle
> can carry more than just an MPLM on one mission. Look at the CMG and
> ESPAD its carrying along with Raffaello this time.)

Actually, the shuttle can do reboost as well. It's not as efficient as
Progress on a per-pound-of-propellant basis, but makes up for it by
carrying a lot more propellant. At the time of the 107 accident, the
shuttle had actually performed a majority (on a delta-V basis) of all the
ISS reboost performed to date.

In fact, in the current stack attitude (shuttle in the rear), the stack
gets a "free" reboost whenever the shuttle is controlling stack attitude
with its VRCS jets, due to cross-coupling. Normally, the station holds
stack attitude, but they are considering asking the shuttle for two days of
stack attitude hold (which IIRC would provide 3.5 km of reboost).

--
JRF

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