Re: Escape pods for shuttles could extend STS service life

[Hallerb]

>
>Buranians were right. If descent is too dangerous aboard the shuttle,
>an escape pod would make sense. Let the shuttle fly itself home, the
>astronauts can get wet.

Did I hear a cakll for a Moose?

Its a early 60 escape pod system proposal. A personal deorbit unit.

[Ross C. Bubba Nicholson]

(Hallerb) wrote in message >...
> >
> >Buranians were right. If descent is too dangerous aboard the shuttle,
> >an escape pod would make sense. Let the shuttle fly itself home, the
> >astronauts can get wet.
>
> Did I hear a cakll for a Moose?
>
> Its a early 60 escape pod system proposal. A personal deorbit unit.

I don't remember that one. I was thinking along the lines of a
heat-shielded capsule, like Gemini, and everybody just pile in for the
trip down. Human flesh makes a pretty good cushioning device and
being stuffed into a small space in an emergency beats running the
risk of being burned up alive in a damaged descent vehicle.