🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <IA80024.89352200552@MAINE.BITNET> IA80024@MAINE.BITNET (Nicholas C. Hester) writes:
>After reading the responses to my query on shuttle landings at KSC and the
>use of Vandenburg for future launches, I was wondering about the possibility
>of using Hawaii.  I had heard that it was up for consideration regarding the
>launching of commercial vehicles and was wondering what the chance was of
>building a new shuttle launch facility there...

Roughly zero.  In some ways it is a better place to launch from, but the
cost of building a new shuttle facility would be enormous, and I doubt very
much that it could be justified.  I'd also expect some practical problems;
in particular, I'm not sure the shuttle-carrier 747 can make it from the
mainland to Hawaii with an orbiter on its back.  (Although there has been
talk of adding flight refuelling facilities to the carrier.)
-- 
1755 EST, Dec 14, 1972:  human |     Henry Spencer at U of Toronto Zoology
exploration of space terminates| uunet!attcan!utzoo!henry henry@zoo.toronto.edu