In article ,
Brian Thorn wrote:
I wasn't talking about the payload, I'm talking about the orbital
maneuvering system, power, long-duration life support, and fuel that
the Service Module carries. They're heavy and expensive, and they're
thrown away with all of the capsule concepts...

No, wrong. See the BAe Multi-Role Capsule papers in the Feb 1989 issue of
JBIS, for example.

The obsession with adding expendable service modules to reusable capsules
is the result of trying to make the capsule itself as small as possible.
But making the capsule bigger really costs very little, given adequate
launcher diameter, and it can ease many design problems.
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MOST launched 1015 EDT 30 June, separated 1046, | Henry Spencer
first ground-station pass 1651, all nominal! |