"Jeff Findley" wrote:

I lean to a capsule these days not because I think capsules are
perfect, or because I am deluded they have a flawless record. I don't
think they are as beautiful as the Shuttle, and they certainly don't do
much (in any design I can refer to) for handling downmass. My vote
switched because wings make reentry a hard problem. Once we have
progressed to where we can do wings and still have a good reentry
solution, then I expect the new designs to reflect that, and for us to
be able to do more than we can now.

Actually, this is easier to do than you think. The ET is very nearly in
orbit when the shuttle releases it. If you redesign the system so that the
ET and orbiter are one vehicle, then you get a *far* less dense vehicle for
reentry, which reduces heating loads *considerably*.

You also get a vehicle with much higher parasitic loads due to the
large amounts of structure required. You also have problems caused by
the fact that the acreage of TPS is far greater, even if it can be
less robust.

NASA dropped the all in one for some very good reasons.

This also eliminates the shedding foam problem.

As does moving the insulation internal to the tank.

D.
--
Touch-twice life. Eat. Drink. Laugh.

-Resolved: To be more temperate in my postings.
Oct 5th, 2004 JDL