🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <6958@ecsvax.UUCP> cjl@ecsvax.UUCP (Charles J. Lord) writes:
>First off, the suggestion to use Enterprise for further braking
>and crosswind tests is invalid - if my understanding of the
>differences between the designs is correct.  The Enterprise was
>a design that was improved upon in the competing configuration that
>became the Columbia/Challenger/Discovery/Atlantis series...

If I'm not mistaken, it's not a question of a "competing configuration",
just of further evolution of the design after Enterprise was built.

>... too many structural (and I believe aerodynamic) differences
>between the two - enough to make the conversion of Enterprise to
>a functional shuttle...

Remember that Enterprise was originally meant to be refitted and fly, or
at least this was specifically said at the time.  In the end it was felt
to be too far overweight and below spec to be worth the trouble.  I don't
believe there are any major structural or aerodynamic differences; it's
all details.

>For these reasons, it is my guess that the
>craft would not fly exactly the same nor have the same hard braking
>response in drop tests...

It should be possible to simulate it well enough, however.  Remember that
the original Enterprise trials were thought to be sufficiently applicable
to base early flight plans on them.

>If they were hard up enough to do drop tests, why not drop one of the
>flying shuttles? ...

Could be done.  However, any landing involves risk; better not to risk the
flyable orbiters for anything but a full mission, when a good simulation
is available.

>Second... Now, I agree that a 68030 in orbit is nicer than an 80386,
>but really, Henry - isn't a '386 better than the 8088 that was in
>the old GRIDs they *were* using? ;-)

As I've said in private mail to others, this is like asking whether being
hanged is better than being burned at the stake.  It *is* better, but... :-)
-- 
Mars in 1980s:  USSR, 2 tries, |     Henry Spencer at U of Toronto Zoology
2 failures; USA, 0 tries.      | uunet!attcan!utzoo!henry henry@zoo.toronto.edu