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Any Volunteers to Fly a Space Shuttle to Mars?
Mars on a Shoestring ^ | January 2009 | Eric Knight

Posted on 01/10/2009 2:59:12 PM PST by Vendek

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Space entrepeneur Eric Knight's novel idea for putting the old Space Shuttles to good use. Could also be a way of sitting out the recession on a far away planet!
1 posted on 01/10/2009 2:59:14 PM PST by Vendek
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To: Vendek

Sure! I’d like to volunteer Feinstein, Boxer, Blagoevich, Kennedy, Mr. and Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Holder, Chuckie Schumer, and Frank Lautenburg.


2 posted on 01/10/2009 3:03:34 PM PST by coloradan (The US has become a banana republic, except without the bananas - or the republic.)
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Comment #3 Removed by Moderator

To: Vendek
You might be able to sustain a crew of 2 for the trip. The shuttles are actually quite small and storage for food, water and oxygen would be a real problem.
4 posted on 01/10/2009 3:07:25 PM PST by mad_as_he$$ (Nemo me impune lacessit.)
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To: Vendek
a sufficiently sized propulsion stage.

I think I see a problem with this plan...

6 posted on 01/10/2009 3:07:58 PM PST by Izzy Dunne (Hello, I'm a TAGLINE virus. Please help me spread by copying me into YOUR tag line.)
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To: Vendek

Eric has addressed a lot of issues, but he is neglecting a serious atmospheric entry problem at Mars. When the vehicle finally reaches the portion of atmosphere where it could use his rube-goldberg parachute system, it would be traveling at an insane speed - probably Mach 13 or 14. If the vehicle didn’t burn up by then, the chutes would shred within a millisecond of deployment, and Mars would have a nice large new crater for future scientists to study.


7 posted on 01/10/2009 3:12:51 PM PST by ElkGroveDan (Reagan is back, and this time he's a woman.)
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To: Vendek

no taxes to pay for the bailouts, might not be too bad of a deal...


8 posted on 01/10/2009 3:19:05 PM PST by hadaclueonce (shoot low, they are riding Shetlands..)
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To: ElkGroveDan
Yeah, a Wile E. Coyote landing, courtesy of the Acme Parachute Company. LOL


9 posted on 01/10/2009 3:19:26 PM PST by Viking2002 (Let's be proactive and start the impeachment NOW.)
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To: Izzy Dunne

Then there’s the old “How the hell do we get back” issue.


11 posted on 01/10/2009 3:20:37 PM PST by ROCKLOBSTER (RATs...nothing more than Bald Haired Hippies!)
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To: ElkGroveDan

The guys that developed the two rovers had exactly that problem. Almost killed the mission. They went through about 10 chute designs and techniques before they got one that worked.


12 posted on 01/10/2009 3:22:05 PM PST by mad_as_he$$ (Government only does one thing well - WASTE MONEY!)
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To: Vendek

how do we get back?


13 posted on 01/10/2009 3:22:34 PM PST by GeronL (intermitten freeper)
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To: Morgana
Agreed. But, I get to choose.


14 posted on 01/10/2009 3:23:18 PM PST by Jet Jaguar
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Comment #15 Removed by Moderator

To: Vendek

Space scuttle...


16 posted on 01/10/2009 3:35:13 PM PST by LRS (Just contracts; just laws; just a constitution...)
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Comment #17 Removed by Moderator

To: Jet Jaguar

Give that boy a CIGAR.....lol


18 posted on 01/10/2009 3:40:35 PM PST by Yorlik803 ( Freedom- 07-04-1776-11-06-2008. RIP)
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To: mad_as_he$$
The guys that developed the two rovers had exactly that problem. Almost killed the mission. They went through about 10 chute designs and techniques before they got one that worked.

Well not exactly. I know that story. This fool has the physics all wrong. There is no parachute at all that would stop a craft like that under those conditions. In the case of Steve Squyres' MER team they were having problems with chute DESIGN, but not the actual physics of atmospheric entry. Their biggest problem really was the time factor facing them based on a launch window they had to make.

19 posted on 01/10/2009 3:41:53 PM PST by ElkGroveDan (Reagan is back, and this time he's a woman.)
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To: Vendek
I'd join Jerry Ryan on a "voyage" to Mars in a heart beat, all be it close to my last heart beat. Be still my heart.


20 posted on 01/10/2009 3:42:47 PM PST by jws3sticks (Hillary can take a very long walk on a very short pier, anytime, and the sooner the better!)
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