Earth Orbit Rescue Shuttle for Personnel

Dec 7, 2023
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Has Space X ever considered building a light spacecraft for emergency rescue of personnel stranded in Earth orbit?
 
Dec 6, 2023
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Wouldn't the limiting factor be that those stranded would not have suits that allowed them to transfer to this craft?
 

LKK

Nov 8, 2023
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As I remember this was originally part of the overall plan but was one of the things cut out
 
Dec 6, 2023
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They developed these little balls people could crawl into and be transferred
I think it was proposed, but never developed because once you inflated the ball, you couldn't exit or enter any existing docking adapter or capsule door.
 

LKK

Nov 8, 2023
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They had at least prototypes so it was more than a proposal, an awful big oversight if they were unusable!
 
Dec 6, 2023
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They were unusable in any existing capsule. Not that we couldn't design capsules with huge doors.
But we haven't.
 
Dec 6, 2023
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Well you could possibly do it with the Shuttle, which had an airlock for EVAs, but its not a realistic solution since we have reverted back to relatively small capsules to go to and from space.
 
Mar 31, 2023
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Rescuing sick astronauts is a great usage for 'Space Tugs."!!

Space Tugs will be orbiting gas stations and their primary income will come from refueling old valuable satellites. They'll eventually have a mechanic on duty to make mechanical repairs to meteoroid hits.
They're already being developed but as yet, are too small to incorporate a personnel hatch and a habitation room.
SOON, There will be inhabited hotels in space and their owners would surely spend a lot of dough to make a contract with an "orbital ambulance!!" It would encourage more tourism and enhance profits.
The Dream Chaser space plane could be adapted to be an on-orbit tug and rapid reentry space ambulance.!
It is scheduled for first launch as a cargo boat in 2024.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Dec 7, 2023
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Maybe an uncrewed Dream Chaser with an empty Shooting Star cargo module could be launched, returning to Earth with a test crew, certainly a truly precious cargo.
 

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