🚀 go-pugleaf

>In <neff.14.725817375@iaiowa.physics.uiowa.edu> neff@iaiowa.physics.uiowa.edu 
(
>John S. Neff) writes:
>
>>I recall an estimate of 50 flights by a NASA spokesman.
>
>The politically (but not necessarily technically) correct line
>is now that "the Shuttle orbiters will last for longer than their
>original 100-mission design life."
>

   That came from the Rockwell engineers who upgraded Columbia in
   1991-1992. Columbia is the oldest and second-most-flown Shuttle
   and they said there was no reason from an engineering standpoint
   that the Shuttle could not fly 100 or more missions.
   
   Keep in mind that the Shuttles have been down for heavy maintenance
   twice in the eleven year history of the program: 1986-88 and
   1991-1993 (with each Orbiter being down six to nine months at some
   point in this period.)
   
   Hopefully, we'll have a DC-1 or better system to replace Shuttle
   long before any hits one hundred missions.
   
   -Brian
  

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Brian S. Thorn                                    "If ignorance is bliss,
BrianT@cup.portal.com                               this must be heaven."
                                                -Diane Chambers, "Cheers"
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