On Fri, 07 Jul 2006 22:19:15 -0400, John Doe wrote:


Once shuttle is retired, this will no longer be possible and many items
currently loaded onto the ISS via the CBM hatches will have no way to be
unloaded from the station without some serious disassenbly/breaking up
into smaller parts. So I guess they will have to send some acétylene
torches to the ISS so they can break up components so they can fit
through the smaller russian hatches.

Not so.

CxV...

"http://www.transformspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=projects.view&workid=CCD3097A-96B6-175C-97F15F270F2B83AA"

Note the square CBM hatch in the illustration.

Apex...

http://www.spacehab.com/sfs/apex.htm

Note the square CBM hatch in the illustration.


HTV...

http://www.nasda.go.jp/projects/rock...#configuration

Note the square CBM hatch in the illustration.

SpaceX Dragon...

http://images.spaceref.com/news/2006...ISS.Asm6.m.jpg

Note where it's berthed.



Brian