Re: Cost of slowing down?

in article 42gnl11deqe6dclfdc4si0d0drrf0ludsq@xxxxxxx, Monte Davis at
monte.davis@xxxxxxxxxxx wrote on 10/23/05 9:58 AM:

> "Brian Gaff" <Briang1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>> I was wondering why the CEV was a larger version of Apollo type re-entry
>> techniques. I eventually realised that it is in fact lighter and cheaper on
>> all sorts of fronts.
>>
>> To get a Shuttle style heat dissipation working for the higher speeds of
>> coming in from the moon, would be not only more difficult, but heavier, cost
>> more to launch in the first place because of that, and presumably more
>> vulnerable, as it will be exposed throughout the flight.
>
> Careful -- that line of thought might lead you toward the conclusion that the
> Shuttle was a "failure" not because of this or that design choice, but because
> bringing a sizeable vehicle rather than a capsule back safely even from LEO is
> *hard* and *expensive* -- much more so than we thought in 1969-1972, or than
> most have been willing to admit ever since.

The concept of a flying reentry is a good one IMHO. While studying
Columbia's ill fated reentry I realized, from an aviation perspective, how
smooth and low stress a shuttle reentry *normally* is. It seems to be much
more comfortable than a capsule reentry.

A scaled down version of the shuttle, say of the size and weight of a CEV,
seems ideal and I wouldn't be surprised if that is where things end up.

The shuttle has been very useful. In science and engineering, failures are
as useful as successes.

George Evans

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Cost of slowing down?
    ... >>> all sorts of fronts. ... > The concept of a flying reentry is a good one IMHO. ... > smooth and low stress a shuttle reentry *normally* is. ... > more comfortable than a capsule reentry. ...
    (sci.space.shuttle)
  • Re: Brute force re-entry
    ... >stretch to try and use some of that energy to alter the spacecraft ... The Shuttle's angle of attack in the initial reentry thru max heating and I ... What the Shuttle needs, besides a new airline, is some small, incremental ... The payload separates and the OTV transfers the payload to its operational ...
    (sci.space.tech)
  • Re: Alternatives to Shuttle Logistics missions
    ... >Shuttle to Station since it will use PMA2. ... >And remember that CEV is just a glorified double decker apollo capsule. ... >CEV is nothing more than the american version of Soyuz with a more ...
    (sci.space.shuttle)
  • Re: Perhaps theres hope for NASA yet
    ... >> You are under some severe misconceptions regarding CEV funding. ... I.E. no real serious budget until Shuttle is permanently ... >> Apollo astronauts who worked on the space shuttle program and hung ... They did so by cancelling SLI and OSP, ...
    (sci.space.shuttle)
  • Re: CEV in disarray???? From space news........
    ... Or is it fine to lose crew on the moon, but not in Shuttle? ... Put CEV on expendable and build shuttle C for cargo using existing ... second J-2 engine to the upperstage of the CLV to get more energy. ... We launch the CEV ...
    (sci.space.shuttle)