Коммерческие полёты шаттлов?

[Salo]

http://space.flatoday.net/

USA studying commercial shuttle option[/size]

United Space Alliance is pursuing a proposal to fly the shuttle as a commercial system after NASA's final three planned flights this year.

The Houston-based company has asked NASA to help fund a six-month study under the second round of the agency's Commercial Crew Development program, or CCDev, the winners of which are expected to be announced next month.

A senior USA manager described the bid as a long shot, but one that would help NASA bridge the gap between the last mission this year and the availability of new commercial vehicles, and help service the space station.

The estimated cost to fly two flights a year with Atlantis and Endeavour is under $1.5 billion, costs that could be shared by potential non-NASA customers.

Under current plans, USA's local workforce will drop to about 1,000 after the last shuttle flight this year, down from 6,000 two years ago.

IMAGE: On April 10, 2009, shuttle Endeavour is transported from Orbiter Processing Facility 2 to the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann

posted by James Dean at 6:00 PM

[Salo]

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2011/02/04/352809/nasa-considers-plan-to-preserve-shuttle-for-future-flights.html

DATE:04/02/11
SOURCE:Flight International
NASA considers plan to preserve shuttle for future flights[/size]
By Stephen Trimble

NASA's space shuttle orbiters may not be destined for a museum in five months, after all.

Agency officials are conducting a "what-if budget exercise" that could keep the orbiters potentially flight-worthy for several more years, NASA says.

The option may offer a tantalizing alternative to the space shuttle workforce, who now must find new jobs before mid-year.

Currently, NASA plans to retire all three orbiters - including Discovery after a scheduled flight in February, Endeavour after a planned trip in April and finally Atlantis after it returns from a scheduled launch in June.

Meanwhile, NASA has asked the space industry to propose commercial vehicles to replace the shuttle orbiters, with the Russian Soyuz capsule relied upon to ferry crew and cargo to the International Space Station in the interim.

But NASA's study could help to keep the shuttles out of the museum - if not in space.

"We are looking at what it would cost if a recipient was not ready to take an orbiter right away, and if we wanted to keep an orbiter in long-term storage for potential engineering analysis," NASA says.

The government's long-term storage process allows aircraft to be refurbished and returned to service usually after at least 180 days.

NASA emphasises that the study to preserve the orbiter fleet remains pre-decisional, and the retirement plan remains in effect.

"Our baseline plan continues to be to process the shuttle orbiters for retirement and prepare them for display after their last flights," NASA says.

Previously, the United Space Alliance proposed a plan to commercialise the orbiter fleet, allowing NASA to fund two launches a year for $1.5 billion annually. Two of the orbiters would remain flightworthy, with the third cannibalised for spare parts.

[instml]

Вот это будет номер.

[ааа]

Ну а баки-то, баки? Чтобы полететь завтра, их надо было делать вчера.

[Сторонний]

Ну а баки-то, баки? Чтобы полететь завтра, их надо было делать вчера.

Полетят послезавтра. :smile:

 Видимо хотят сделать "рациональное движение", сохранить шаттлы и одновременно новый супертяж делать на базе Шаттла с минимальными изменениями.
 Это логично.

[Valerij]

Ну а баки-то, баки? Чтобы полететь завтра, их надо было делать вчера.

Кто знает, цело ли еще производство, где делались баки?

ИМХО. Начать делать бак сейчас - успеть сделать пуск в 2012....

[Дмитрий Виницкий]

Госпааади.

[Salo]

Сначала надо найти внебюджетные 1,5 ярда.  :roll:

[Дмитрий В.]

Сначала надо найти внебюджетные 1,5 ярда.  :roll:

Абрамович? :roll:

[Salo]

Ну если использовать вместо яхты ...
Правда придётся оборудовать шаттлы системой ПВО и спасательной капсулой. Какая же яхта для Абрамовича без этих примочек. :lol:

[pkl]

А что, он и этим что-то должен?

[Сторонний]

Ну если использовать вместо яхты ...
Правда придётся оборудовать шаттлы системой ПВО и спасательной капсулой. Какая же яхта для Абрамовича без этих примочек. :lol:

ПВО в космосе? На тот случай если на Марс или на Венеру завернуть потребуется для пополнения бара? :wink:

[Salo]

А Вы планировали его на орбите оставить?

[Сторонний]

А Вы планировали его на орбите оставить?

А, понятно, - для охраны в месте приземления? :wink:

 Тогда нужно ещё моторизованное подразделение спецназа на борту. :smile:

[zyxman]

USA studying commercial shuttle option

Вот как надо бороться за Жизнь!

[us2-star]

[X]

[us2-star]

[X]

C+I#4
2###1*H4A%01I+!09
5

[X]

uzay mekii u