Mini shuttle for ISS?

[nexus555]

I've been wondering about this today at work. Wouldn't it be a little cheaper if they built a small spacecraft for the ISS crew? Small enough to only hold 1-2 people (and presumably small enough for the space shuttle's cargo bay to be launched to go there. Or perhaps launched from a rocket itself.)<br /><br />It would most likely save money if they invested in such a shuttle, so if a satellite or the hubble needed some kind of maintenance work, they could simply just launch from the ISS to the satellite. <br /><br />The spacecraft could run off of some form of nuclear technology similiar to satellites that travel or solar system. This would ensure that they could be used for a longer peroid of time before any worries of "refueling." <br /><br />One question that will most likely arise is: What if something needs new parts? Well again the spacecraft would prove much more useful than launching the shuttle. All you would need is to develop a smaller craft to launch into orbit that would deliver the product needed. If all you had was rocket fuel, engines, and the producted needed, you wouldn't need NEARLY as much fuel as it takes to launch the shuttle. However this aspect of my idea is obviously debatable. If the "transporter" craft was reusable, then obviously it'd be worth the investment, however if it had to be trashed after the mission, then yes it would be a waste of money. <br /><br />However, let alone the last point, it would be an incredibly useful tool for the ISS crew (well, more so for satellite owners, and NASA.) <br /><br />There could be a lot more things that I missed, naturally <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" />, but I want your opinions. Do you think a smaller spacecraft for the ISS team would prove useful and worth the money? What sort of propellant would be most efficient for such a craft (nuclear, rocket fuel, any other.) <br /><br />Thoughts?

 

[qso1]

Nexus555:<br />Wouldn't it be a little cheaper if they built a small spacecraft for the ISS crew?<br /><br />Me:<br />Apparently not. If it were, they would not have gone from a somewhat winged OSP to the current capsule CEV Orion craft. Capsules being less expensive to develop than winged or lifting bodied craft.<br /><br />Nexus555:<br />The spacecraft could run off of some form of nuclear technology...<br /><br />Me:<br />That'll run the price tag right up. But I think a distinction has to be made here. You mentioned refuelling. Deep space probes use nuclear power sources in the form of Radio Isotopic Thermoelectric Generators (RTG) which are power rather than propulsion sources. Nuclear propulsion would make such a craft even more expensive.<br /><br />Nexus555:<br />It would most likely save money if they invested in such a shuttle, so if a satellite or the hubble needed some kind of maintenance work, they could simply just launch from the ISS to the satellite.<br /><br />Me:<br />This idea can be traced as far back as 1973 in a concept called spacetug which was part of the STS. Me and a few other folks did a variation on spacetug years ago for a book, a tug called the Utility Service Vehcicle (USV).<br /><br />In both concepts, its not necessary to make the vehicle winged. It would have been taken up by an already existing winged shuttle and left at space station when not in use which eliminates the need to launch it from earth everytime its required.<br /><br />Your concept would have to be launched by an expendable booster once shuttle is retired.<br /><br />Nexus555:<br />it would be an incredibly useful tool for the ISS crew (well, more so for satellite owners, and NASA.)<br /><br />Me:<br />As it turned out, for satellite owners, builders, and NASA...satellites are built so reliably, they rarely break down. And at current prices, its cheaper to build and launch a new satellite than send off a repair crew.<br /><br />But this may yet one day change if private enterprise/industry take <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><strong>My borrowed quote for the time being:</strong></p><p><em>There are three kinds of people in life. Those who make it happen, those who watch it happen...and those who do not know what happened.</em></p> </div>