A_M_Swallow - 9/2/2008 10:17 PMHopefully a Jupiter-120 can lift the Orion to LM1/LM2 whilst carrying construction crew and some parts of the Mars rocket.
MATTBLAK - 10/2/2008 7:30 AMHubble wont need/can't get another servicing mission after the one that's coming -- in only a few years it will be pretty much obsolete. That will seal it's fate. Other than that, I agree with much of what you said.
Okay, maybe I generalised a little. But last October when I was at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, it was the opinion of one staff member there that new, soon to be finished, larger ground-based telescopes with segmented mirrors and adaptive optics technology would rival Hubble, even after it is upgraded this year. Not being a professional astronomer, I had to take them at their word. Trouble is, there is no money to upgrade Hubble after this year and every modification and upgrade made to this amazing instrument -- when do you get diminishing returns? Hubble's mirror can't get any bigger, it's onboard processing power (486?!) can't get any bigger and newer space telescopes on the drawing board with bigger mirrors, brand-new technology instruments and cameras... When do you draw the line with throwing more money at Hubble? Every servicing mission costs billions. Eventually, it will be far more economic to pour these funds into a clean-sheet design.
Nonetheless, Astronomers I've talked to say Hubble will do very good science for the next 6-10 years. Nothing to sneeze at, it's life is far from over. But like the Space Shuttle, one day we have to let Hubble go...
MATTBLAK - 10/2/2008 11:15 AMNonetheless, Astronomers I've talked to say Hubble will do very good science for the next 6-10 years. Nothing to sneeze at, it's life is far from over. But like the Space Shuttle, one day we have to let Hubble go.
Patchouli - 10/2/2008 12:24 AM1. how could this extra payload could be put to use on LEO Orion missions I think the same setup be can used for launching station modules maybe canceled ISS segments orparts for a new station.2. The non castrated block two Orion has lots of delta V about 1640M/sec this makes it a natural space tug.3. Lack of flexibility was one of the issues that doomed the Apollo spacecraft so maybe repeating this mistake should be avoided I'm not talking making it a do all like the shuttle but instead find a sensible middle ground between Apollo and the Shuttle in flexibility.
Patchouli - 10/2/2008 7:24 AMOk lets assume Ares I is dead and direct will replace it and that lame part on cargo and crew in the CAIB report is thrown out.
The non castrated block two Orion has lots of delta V about 1640M/sec this makes it a natural space tug.
Patchouli - 10/2/2008 12:24 AMOk lets assume Ares I is dead and direct will replace it and that lame part on cargo and crew in the CAIB report is thrown out.
Patchouli - 10/2/2008 12:24 AMI think the same setup be can used for launching station modules maybe canceled ISS segments orparts for a new station..