There are still a few people within the secretive intelligence agency who cringe, or curse, when they hear his name, for Mark was the person who forced them to use the Space Shuttle.
http://www.thespacereview.com/article/2107/1Between the darkness and the lightby Dwayne A. DayMonday, June 25, 2012 “The shuttle was in fact sized to launch HEXAGON. The size of the payload bay was determined by HEXAGON.” — Hans Mark
QuoteThere are still a few people within the secretive intelligence agency who cringe, or curse, when they hear his name, for Mark was the person who forced them to use the Space Shuttle.At that time, were there other options besides the shuttle?
At that time, were there other options besides the shuttle?
Quote from: JohnFornaro on 06/26/2012 12:40 pmAt that time, were there other options besides the shuttle?IIRC the Air Force had an inventory of Titans, but had stopped orders in favor of STS.
Wasn't the Titan-IV(A) ordered BEFORE STS-51-L to serve as a back up to the Shuttle?
Quote from: Galactic Penguin SST on 06/26/2012 03:03 pmWasn't the Titan-IV(A) ordered BEFORE STS-51-L to serve as a back up to the Shuttle?Have to go back and look at Jenkins, thought there were some years during STS development where the AF did NOT ask Congress for any money for ELVs.
Also what makes you think it didn't carry or plan to carry (before challenger) something(s) that didn't max it out
Interesting, though, that the 60'x15' dimensions were driven by something the vehicle would never carry.
But Titan IV was a result of the desire by the DOD to move payloads that had been designed for the payload bay off of the shuttle. Prior to that was the largest diameter was 10.5 feet (3 meters)?Of course something drove shuttles 15' payload bay width. I don't think that nugget was provided us in the interview.