🚀 go-pugleaf

From: tneff@well.UUCP (Tom Neff)

> Station?  Is that just the budget cubbyhole?  Also, how does NASA plan
> to "refurbish" AIRS if it's in polar orbit?  Is this dependent on a
> working OMV?  Surely a polar Shuttle mission would be too expensive 
> for a purpose like this.

Not only would it be expensive, considering the status of VAFB, it would
be very unlikely that the shuttle will fly a polar mission.  Fortunately,
the polar platform is compatible with launches onboard a Titan IV as well
as the shuttle.  Otherwise, the polar platform might never fly at all.

Also, I doubt an OMV would be able to service the polar platform from
a normal shuttle mission, since all the OMV mission profiles I've heard
of don't allow for more than a one degree change in orbital inclination.
It may very well require at OTV to service the polar platform.
--
 Andrew J. Higgins	             | 	Illini Space Development Society
 404 1/2 E. White St apt 3           |  a chapter of the National Space Society
 Champaign IL  61820                 |  at the University of Illinois
 phone:  (217) 359-0056              |  P.O. Box 2255 Station A
 e-mail:  ahiggins@uxe.cso.uiuc.edu  |  Champaign IL  61825

 "A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject"
 - Sir Winston Churchill