"There’s never been a capsule – over the 60 years of its operation – that has returned to space after coming back home"
As far as I know the Shuttles were not lifting bodies.
Quote"There’s never been a capsule – over the 60 years of its operation – that has returned to space after coming back home"Gemini 2
Quote from: mikes on 08/18/2012 08:08 amQuote"There’s never been a capsule – over the 60 years of its operation – that has returned to space after coming back home"Gemini 2Both suborbital, right?
My biggest fear is that we spend all these taxpayer dollars on three worthy systems only to waste most of the effort. Talk of a downselect to one provider makes me nervous.
Quote from: Lars_J on 08/18/2012 07:17 amAs far as I know the Shuttles were not lifting bodies. Pardon me, but what is you definition of 'lifting bodies'?I seem to recall that none of the returning shuttles landedlike a plummeting rock.
Students of the Soviet space program may be able to confirm or deny this, but I seem to remember reading somewhere that some Vostok style capsules used in various Earth observation programs were reused.
Most elevated discussions concerning Lifting Bodies revolve around a given "Shape" or "the shape" and outside of that it depends on who is doing the talking. I generally stick to what Dale Reed set as the foundation. He, 100% connects the shuttle orbiter shapes to the assorted lifting body breeds.Of course it also comes down to similar discussions as to what a wing actually is. Some insist that it has to be cambered and thus providing lift, yet lift can be generated by a flat plate or even a turning tubular shape et.al. IMO, since Dale Reed, the father of lifting bodies, links the shuttle shapes as a form of lifting body- so it is... period. Read his book and decide for yourself.Milt Thompson, however, was of the opinions that only the lifting bodies based on the M2 shape were "true lifting bodies" so, there are other well informed folks who have had a more narrow view. BTW- if you do not know who the two people I've cited here are- you would do well to find out before posting farther.