On Wed, 27 Aug 2003 13:12:58 +0000, Nick Maclaren wrote:

"Chuck Stewart" writes:

An orbiter needs power to protect its mechanisms and electronics
from orbital conditions.

You can't just "park it" and walk away with the keys...

A fair comment. I should have said that I was talking about the
principle, and not about the details - where you are right that I
am completely ignorant.

But, subject to the same assumptions as for the rescue evaluation,
(a) how much hacking would be necessary to enable it to last that
long and (b) could enough supplies have been take up to enable a
skeleton crew to maintain it for that long? It assuredly would
have justified a (separate) team evaluating the possibility.

These questions and more are answered in the Columbia Loss FAQ...
http://www.io.com/~o_m/columbia_loss_faq_x.html
http://www.io.com/~o_m/columbia_loss...scu e_shuttle
http://www.io.com/~o_m/columbia_loss..._cross_package

The short answer is that there is no way to refuel on-orbit the
fuel cells that provide power, so... when they run out the orbiter
dies. And they will run out no matter how you much you try to cut
back on power consumption.

Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

--
Chuck Stewart
"Anime-style catgirls: Threat? Menace? Or just studying algebra?"