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Getting the shuttle back into the air
Getting the shuttle safely back into space doesn't seem too complex, but satisfying the CAIB's requirements does. CAIB apparently charged NASA with two tasks, to fix the problems that caused the crash - the main tank's foam lining and the leading edge of the wing, and designing some kind of rescue system for situations with launch damage severe enough to make landing too dangerous. The first task seems straightforward, but the second looks quite difficult, especially considering that the fleet is down to three vehicles and there won't be another one built. The solution I imagine is to launch an escape module atop an expendable booster, with enough capacity to evacuate the entire crew. Then mount a repair mission at a later time. Remote control capabilities and fuel would have to be provided to maintain the shuttle's orbit for the long term, as it might take a year or more to plan such a repair mission, or it might require more than one mission. Does anybody know what options NASA is examining to do this job, or if it would even be realistic to salvage the vehicle in such a situation? I can easily imagine that it might be impossible to repair the shuttle in orbit, and that in such a situation, we might lose another vehicle, although fortunately not the crew. |
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