From: Technotranscendence (neptune@mars.superlink.net)
Date: Sun Jul 14 2002 - 10:12:39 MDT
On Saturday, July 13, 2002 11:12 PM Damien Broderick
d.broderick@english.unimelb.edu.au wrote:
>>What is
>>the feasibility of launching a mini-external tank, fueling it
>>with resources launched on smaller vehicles -- a Delta IV has about
>>25% the payload capacity of a Saturn V -- and then sending a shuttle
>>off to the moon?
>
> But isn't the Orbiter a lifting body that needs an atmosphere to land?
> (Although I've heard that it has the aerodynamic properties of a
brick.)
I haven't seen any bricks that can pull off a dead stick landing.
> Or...
I bet the Shuttle Orbiters could be retrofitted with gear to land. I
tend to think this would be risking an orbiter though. It's not like
there're an endless supply of them. There are only four currently and
no others in the works... Though I'm no big fan of the Shuttle...
Cheers!
Dan
http://uweb.superlink.net/neptune/MyWorksBySubject.html
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