While alternate realities may be fun for some to speculate on what could have/would have happened, it was the capabilities of the orbiter that allowed Hubble to be fixed.
As for structural spares, yes Endeavour was partially constructed from some. Just recently, we scrapped some additional spares which were designated to OV-106 or could have been used in the event of damage from landing or whatever reason (within reasonalbe limits).
On STS-9, the issue was with the APU GG injector stem and issue with corrosion. They were chromised in a subsequent mod and have performed exceptionally ever since.
I am curious to know what kind of spares designated as OV-106 were still in storage and could they not also possibly have been displayed at a museum?
Just found this old threat. Still it is not completely clear to me, which parts of OV-106 were finished, which parts were begun and which parts were at least planned? And what was the fate of those parts? Thanks for any insights.
Somebody like Dennis Jenkins - known Shuttle expert and chronicler - would have to be consulted to perhaps clear up some of these questions about an 'OV-106'.
Somebody like Dennis Jenkins - known Shuttle expert and chronicler - would have to be consulted to perhaps clear up some of these questions about an 'OV-106'.
Do we know any contact details of Mr. Jenkins (maybe published in his newer shuttle books, I only have the old one from 2000)? Is he open to e-mail exchange with readers/space afficionados?
Somebody like Dennis Jenkins - known Shuttle expert and chronicler - would have to be consulted to perhaps clear up some of these questions about an 'OV-106'.
Do we know any contact details of Mr. Jenkins (maybe published in his newer shuttle books, I only have the old one from 2000)? Is he open to e-mail exchange with readers/space afficionados?
Dennis Jenkins discussed the fate of the OV-106 in an e-mail from 1996 at this link:
https://groups.google.com/g/sci.space.shuttle/c/mNuWjk2_y78/m/GJTxG8dNYggJ
Just found this old threat. Still it is not completely clear to me, which parts of OV-106 were finished, which parts were begun and which parts were at least planned? And what was the fate of those parts? Thanks for any insights.
There were no major structural spares for OV-106