Re: Shuttle proves being superb manned spacecraft


"Derek Lyons" <fairwater@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:474c9e14.5748781@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
behlingjo@xxxxxxxxx wrote:

The point is even if the Delta IV had the capacity to launch a
crew with the spacecraft, there is no need.

3. No value added.

Bovine exhaust. Several birds have been saved to date by the
intervention of the delivery crew.

When it comes to delivering cargo to the ISS a crewed cargo delivery
service has several advantages, among which are:

1) It reduces total program risk by reducing the number of launches.
2) Specialized cargo (SARJ, CMG) arrives as a unit load along with its
installation crew. (Which reduces station interference, mission
control load, etc... etc...)
3) Non specialized cargo (toiletries, Tang, and t-shirts) along with
standardized cargo (standard experiment racks) can be handled by the
transport crew, reducing the workload of the station crew.

Not to mention the less quantifiable morale aspects of seeing a human
being other than the ones you've been cooped up with. If I were
running a long duration station crew, I'd also seriously consider
using the cargo runs as training and familiarization runs for station
crews.

It can be debated whether the advantages are worth the costs, but the
existence of the advantages is beyond debate.

And don't forget that sticking a man in the loop increases the overall
reliability of the craft itself. Look at how many times a Soyuz crew has
performed a manual docking. In many ways, people are a backup for automated
systems that can, and do, fail.

Also, having a crew can reduce development costs in some areas. The shuttle
docks with ISS by having a person fly it there. Because of this, the US has
not had to develop automated rendezvous and docking to the level of
reliability which would be required for routine, safe docking to ISS.

Jeff
--
A clever person solves a problem.
A wise person avoids it. -- Einstein


.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Shuttle proves being superb manned spacecraft
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  • Re: Space Shuttle commentary
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