SpaceDev "shuttle"

[Dr Mordrid]

Bringing back a "shuttle" in the form of the NASA HL-20 design that was cancelled a few years ago;

http://www.newscientistspace.com/article.ns?id=dn8335

Interesting.....

Dr. Mordrid

[KvHagedorn]

Isn't that what Steve Austin crashed in to necessitate making him the six million dollar man?

[Dr Mordrid]

No cigar, but lifting bodies are often quite similar in appearance.

You're thinking of the M2-F2 lifting body tested back in the 60's, which unfortunately it had lateral stability "issues".



Footage of a real 1967 M2-F2 crash-landing due to the stability problem is what was shown at the start of "The 6 Million Dollar Man". The real "Steve Austin" piloting the M2-F2 that day was named Bruce Peterson. He survived his injuries but lost an eye due to a staph infection.

Dr. Mordrid

[KvHagedorn]

Yep, now that I see it, that's definitely the one in the show.

I wonder if they will be able to put more windows in, since this is to be used for space tourism.

[spadnos]

Yep, now that I see it, that's definitely the one in the show.

I wonder if they will be able to put more windows in, since this is to be used for space tourism.

I'd say more seats would be important for space tourism.

- Steve

[Dr Mordrid]

The HL-20 can old up to 10 passengers as envisioned by NASA (it was to be an escape ship for the whole ISS crew), but SpaceDev is planning on reducing this to 6 for their system;

The SpaceDev Dream Chaser(TM) uses the same outer mold line (shape) as the HL-20 Personnel Launch System, but would fly six passengers instead of the HL-20 ten passengers, thus saving weight, which may improve handling. SpaceDev personnel flew an HL-20 simulation in the Vertical Motion Simulator at NASA Ames, and found that landing the SpaceDev Dream Chaser(TM) may be very similar to landing the Shuttle.

Dr. Mordrid

[KRSESQ]

Would this be considered a case of two steps forward and one step back?

Kevin

[Dr Mordrid]

Depends on your outlook. Many feel that the whole move to spaceplanes for getting people up & down was a matter of overdesign and overexpense of what should have been a simple/cheap process w/capsules. I tend to agree.

Dr. Mordrid

[Dr Mordrid]

Update:

SpaceDev has posted a proposed lunar mission plan based on their modded HL-20. They say they can do it for about 10% of what NASA has budgeted for a lunar return plan.

Announcement;

http://www.spacedev.com/newsite/templates/subpage_article.php?pid=543

Multimedia page;

http://www.spacedev.com/newsite/templates/subpage_article.php?pid=546

Amazing to me is their use of an idea from Mercury days: an individual "rocket chair" for lunar landings;



Damn...whatta ride that baby would be

Dr. Mordrid

[Nowhere]

Hmmm...what for? NASA isn't planning to do another "trip mission" after all...

(oh, and I hope they're planning to use HL-20 only for transport to LEO - it seems to me they do, but it would be awfull waste to do otherwise...)