Could Columbia have been Saved?

JRS: In article , seen in
news:sci.space.policy, G EddieA95 posted at Mon, 30
Jun 2003 22:00:17 :-

and bring the damaged shuttle
down remotely?

The STS has no remote-landing capability (unlike the Soviet Buran).


AIUI, with the present system, the essential manual operations are to
deploy the air-data probe, and to lower the landing gear. That does not
sound excessively difficult, with training, for one person to do.

An empty Shuttle is a thing of little value. One that has landed, even
damaged, must be worth of the order of $1B. It should be possible to
find a volunteer for the job, by promising a salvage fee of say 10% of
value if successful, and a consolation fee of say 10% (paid to his
estate) of that if otherwise.

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