Goodbye Atlantis!!!!

[willpittenger]

Setup to go up on the shuttle, perhaps none. However, with a Russian launch, you have to add to the module's own mass a booster with fuel. That could get quite heavy. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Will Pittenger<hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Add this user box to your Wikipedia User Page to show your support for the SDC forums: <div style="margin-left:1em">{{User:Will Pittenger/User Boxes/Space.com Account}}</div> </div>

 

[mlorrey]

I find it hard to believe that the Energia booster can't loft Shuttle sized payloads by itself. It boosted the Polyus "Stick" anti-satellite battlestation (which didn't reach orbit because it mistakenly rotated 360 rather than 180 degrees after separation so its orbital kick motor deorbited it), and that was 100 tons.

 

[edkyle98]

"Atlantis will be a source of spares, but should be kept able to do one last ferry flight to Dulles, suitably decontaminated and with actual hardware installed, flight certified or not. "<br /><br />I think that the Smithsonian might be more interested in Discovery. She is the oldest surviving orbiter. She carried the second U.S. woman astronaut (Challenger carried the first) and she orbited John Glenn. Discovery orbited the Hubble Space Telescope, visited Mir and ISS, and served as NASA's "go-to" machine for every "return to flight" mission, among other achievements.<br /><br />Let KSC keep Atlantis or Endeavour. Send the other one to the US Air Force Museum in Dayton (plenty of indoor space available) or sell it.<br /> <br /> - Ed Kyle

 

[edkyle98]

""Let KSC keep Atlantis or Endeavour. Send the other one to the US Air Force Museum in Dayton (plenty of indoor space available) or sell it.""<br /><br />"NASA would NEVER let an Orbiter go to a Air Force museum. "<br /><br />The U.S. Air Force Museum has the Apollo 15 Command Module, as well as unflown Mercury and Gemini capsules and at least one Gemini space suit. These are all on loan from, and property of, the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, which presumably will also "own" the retired shuttle orbiters.<br /><br />The orbiters will need to be displayed indoors, and there are very few large display hangers. The Smithsonian Udvar-Hazy is one. The Air Force Museum, with its relatively new massive indoor display hanger, is another. Houston and Huntsville are both struggling to raise funds to put their Saturn rockets indoors after leaving them out to rot for 30 years, so I don't see how either could handle an orbiter.<br /><br />The Air Force has, in my view, a rightful claim to an orbiter. The Air Force was heavily involved in shuttle for quite a number of years, with several dedicated DoD missions. It might also be said that without Pentagon support during the critical decision days of the early 1970s, NASA would not have had a shuttle program.<br /><br /> - Ed Kyle

 

[bpcooper]

I am almost certain Discovery is headed for the NASM UHC in place of Enterprise. As I've stated before, Enterprise is at home in California. Of the other two, one to KSC and one to JSC in my opinion.<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>-Ben</p> </div>

 

[willpittenger]

I asked because the SCA would be the natural place to transport them. I see no need in the existing program for the tailcones other than when transporting an orbiter. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Will Pittenger<hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Add this user box to your Wikipedia User Page to show your support for the SDC forums: <div style="margin-left:1em">{{User:Will Pittenger/User Boxes/Space.com Account}}</div> </div>

 

[willpittenger]

Energia is in the same boat as the Saturn V -- "discontinued". <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Will Pittenger<hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Add this user box to your Wikipedia User Page to show your support for the SDC forums: <div style="margin-left:1em">{{User:Will Pittenger/User Boxes/Space.com Account}}</div> </div>

 

[willpittenger]

I said that. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Will Pittenger<hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Add this user box to your Wikipedia User Page to show your support for the SDC forums: <div style="margin-left:1em">{{User:Will Pittenger/User Boxes/Space.com Account}}</div> </div>

 

[willpittenger]

Like I said, the upper stage counts against the 20 tons. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Will Pittenger<hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Add this user box to your Wikipedia User Page to show your support for the SDC forums: <div style="margin-left:1em">{{User:Will Pittenger/User Boxes/Space.com Account}}</div> </div>

 

[willpittenger]

I was just pointing out the irony. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Will Pittenger<hr style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em" />Add this user box to your Wikipedia User Page to show your support for the SDC forums: <div style="margin-left:1em">{{User:Will Pittenger/User Boxes/Space.com Account}}</div> </div>