From: Mike Lorrey (mlorrey@datamann.com)
Date: Sat Dec 22 2001 - 09:03:24 MST
Spike Jones wrote:
>
> Mike Lorrey wrote:
>
> > Ah, but they can. Are not solid fuel rocket motors used as upper stages
> > for satellites released by the Space Shuttle in orbit?
>
> Only seldom are solids used in upper stages. In addition to being
> relatively crummy for specific impulse, it is difficult to ensure all
> the exhaust products will re-enter. Solids are dirty: they leave
> behind slag that we don't want to have in orbit. Even in a
> suborbital application, if a solid motor is firing and something
> goes wrong with the guidance system causing the back end to
> flip around forward, a bunch of phlogiston and junk is sprayed
> into orbit that could damage other satellites.
What? I have very often seen video of satellites headed for geosynch
being released, spinning, by the space shuttle, with the unmistakable
gourd shaped solid fuel upper stage on it.
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Sat Nov 02 2002 - 08:12:43 MST