🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <SHAFER.89Dec21092542@skipper.dfrf.nasa.gov> shafer@elxsi.dfrf.nasa.gov (Mary Shafer (OFV)) writes:
>
>Hawaii to anywhere is beyond the 747/Shuttle range.
>
>Mary Shafer  shafer@skipper.dfrf.nasa.gov or ames!skipper.dfrf.nasa.gov!shafer
>         NASA Ames Dryden Flight Research Facility, Edwards, CA
>                   Of course I don't speak for NASA

Maybe this belongs sci.cynic but a Mary do you actually expect me to
believe that a commercial 747 full a passengers, and cargo. Can go non
stop with out refueling against the trade/jet stream winds from hawaii to
sidney or tokyo. But a NON-commercial 747 with LARGER fuel capacity, higher
GROSS Ramp weight allowances (NONE legally), The is empty except for fuel
and the orbiter. Can't go 1/2 the other distance back to the coast ? WITH
the jet stream  besides ?
I find that more than slightly difficult to believe on a practical approach.
The orbiter is a aerodynamic device (not a true rock) and is mounted on such
and angle to minize drag forces.  
Besides, The Public Information Office at KSC has info it releases to the
general public about the 747 combo.  The printed matter is clear what a great
thing this is. As a matter of fact, 1 quote joked that it worked so well that
nasa was considering selling commercial seats in the 747 to ride back & forth
with it on a special basis.  Including drinks & meals.  Are you suggesting that
nasa printed public materials is anything but completely honest & straight 
forward & truthful ?

On a different subject & original Poster....
>built like a really big METAL shipping container.....
Do you HONESTLY realize how big the orbiter is ?  Picture make it look small,
and even the 747 seems to dwarf it in piggy bacl pictures, but. For all
practical purposes, the shuttle is the size of a DC-9.  MOST US cities outside
the top 20, This is the LARGEST plane (or even to large) than Normally (can)
Land at your local airport.  Go there or nearby and watch a small 737 or md80
or 757 come and go.  These guys hold like 100 or less people typically & carry
LITTLE cargo.  There probably are only 6 or less take offs a day of the larger
ddc-9's  L1011's that hold like 200.  You have to be at a actual major city
chicago, NY, boston, DC, ATlanta, Dallas, Toronto to see a 747.  It;s a actual
MONSTER.  I shipping carton of this size, to support the weight of the orbiter
would be so heavy the NO CRANE exists that could pick it up. Further it could
not fit inside ANY cargo hold door of any existing ship.  It would make even
a super tanker would be top heavy.
However, If you put the orbiter on deck & Built a balloon room around it to
seal it. Well that's a different story......  Your just back to waiting how
Long ?  We can't wait that long.
AL