Re: Future of Orion??

"Danny Deger" <dannydeger@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
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"ed kyle" <edkyle99@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
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snip

Orion should be quite a bit safer for crews than shuttle
simply because it will have the launch escape system
that shuttle lacks. It will be at least as safe as shuttle
in the reentry phase, and probably safer because
it will have a smaller, more rugged heat shield less
exposed to damage and will spend less time exposed
to the reentry heating phase. Yes, Orion will have to
jettison its service module, but shuttle has to retract
antennas, close its payload bay doors, start its APUs,
etc. before reentry. Yes Orion will have to deploy
parachutes, but shuttle has to fly to a precision
landing, deploy landing gear, etc.

And don't forget that a capsule has a good chance of bringing a crew home
alive its entry flight control system fails. This was THE requirement
that took NASA from winged vehicles back to capsules during the Orbital
Space Plane program. The entry without flight control requirement has
been watered down now, but a capsule will give the crew a good shot of
surviving a passive entry.

Right up until the parachute fails to open.

Or the de-orbit burn fails.

ultimately there are no truly passive systems. Just different re-entry
failures.



Danny Deger



--
Greg Moore
SQL Server DBA Consulting
sql (at) greenms.com http://www.greenms.com


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