I thought I heard somewhere that the recommendation was to have a backup on the pad anytime a shuttle was in orbit. Is the whole fleet not able to achieve the higher orbit that Hubble is in? The newer orbiters are the only ones left, are all within 1,000 lb. of each other, and lighter than the first orbiters by about 8,000-9,000 lb. The higher orbit also represents more of a risk. I am sure there are many things that go into the decision. I was merely translating Kim's comment. Brent --- Chuck Hards <chuckhards@yahoo.com> wrote:
Hi Brent:
Respectfully, I don't think this has anything to do with it.
Risking hardware is not the point. There is no "lifeboat" for Hubble missions, whereas space station missions provide a haven for the crew if the shuttle is no longer flyable due to a launch or other problem.
I'd hate to think that a new safety program is primarily concerned with not risking the "fleet"; crew safety is the driving force.
C.
--- Brent Watson <brentjwatson@yahoo.com> wrote:
My numbers are wrong. I think NASA only has three orbiters left. That would mean they risk 33% of their fleet on any mission, not 25%
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