Here's hoping they never have to try this.
NASA officials revealed a new plan on Thursday that might allow a last-ditch effort to save a damaged space shuttle by guiding it back to Earth without astronauts aboard.The system, which could be used if astronauts were forced to abandon the shuttle and take refuge in the International Space Station, makes use of a 28-foot-long braided cable, weighing about five pounds, that can be attached to various control boxes on the shuttle. It would allow flight controllers on the ground to activate systems that previously had to be switched on by members of the shuttle crew, including power units, landing gear and drag chutes.
I'd love to know the odds of a successful landing in such a situation -- then I'd plunk down a C-note in Vegas, figuring that could retire on the winnings if the shuttle did make it to landing relatively intact.
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Comments on Fly By Wire
The Russians did it with Buran in the 80's, and still do it today with their progress supply vehicles that regularly go to the ISS, I should hope the US is up to the challenge. After all, are we not the video game capital of the, well I don't know are we?
|| Posted by Elroy, June 30, 2006 04:40 PM ||Yes, the Rusians did exactly that with Buran and continue to do it today with supply craft -- with a vehicle that is intact and fully operational.
We will be doing it with a damaged craft and a rube-goldberg mechanism.
And remember, Elroy -- the only situation in which we will take such a course of action is if the situation is so dire that we don't feel it is safe to let the crew fly home aboard the shuttle.
I repeat -- I think I could retire on my winnings by betting against.
|| Posted by Rhymes With Right, June 30, 2006 05:26 PM ||Post a comment