"Cardman" wrote in message
...

Shuttle-C was designed to move cargo about within orbit, where my
method was to do this though an always in orbit space tug instead.

No, Shuttle-C was a launch vehicle in its various incarnations. Some
returned the SSMEs, some din't.



Hell you could even use the Shuttle as this space tug provided that
they did a few adjustments. The first is to keep it up there, which
should not be that hard. Then of course it needs cargo canister
handling capability, which it mostly already has.

It would be extremely hard. The Shuttle is not designed for long stays in
orbit. It's overly massive. It has wings that are useless in orbit, etc.


And so with refueling and maintaining the Shuttle always in orbit,
then you eliminate the cost of making the space tug. And in emergency
situations, then yes the Shuttle can re-enter and land if it cannot go
elsewhere.


Do you have a concept of how much fuel would be required to turn the shuttle
into an useful orbital tug? Far more than it can hold.

Sounds like a better use of the Shuttle to me, but I have no idea as
to its long term in space limits. I presume that it tends to run out
of fuel, which is a problem that I would well solve. And sure anything
else it needs can be stored on the ISS.

Shuttle-C has
been studied at length by NASA. The problem is the high cost per
launch and the flight rate,

Rubbish.

The Shuttle is a highly technical machine that needs to be virtually
rebuilt after every launch.

Which leads to the low launch rate which leads to high costs.


All I need are cheap cargo containing strap on tubes, which are
ideally segmented.

Even the less clever people around can see the cost savings involved
with removing a highly technical machine and just launching dumb cargo
cannisters.


The less clever people are missing the fact that it's still expensive.