Mon, Jul 03, 2006
Cable Allows Remote Control Of Landing Gear, Drag Chutes
Aside from
storm-related issues, NASA engineers are also still worried about
the possibility of foam falling from the huge external fuel tank
and damaging the shuttle Discovery -- the same problem that ended
up killing Columbia three years ago.
Should such damage be found on Discovery once it reaches the
International Space Station, the current plan calls for shuttle
astronauts to abandon ship and take refuge aboard the International
Space Station.
But what about the shuttle? After all -- while not worth the
risk of losing another seven astronauts -- there is no certainty
that such damage would result in the loss of another orbiter during
reentry... and NASA would certainly like to save its $20 billion
shuttle, if at all possible. Under a plan announced last week, NASA
has developed a way to potentially return an unmanned shuttle to
earth.
The New York Times reports NASA has developed a 28-foot long
electrical cable, that when connected allows operation of the
orbiter's landing gear and drag parachutes, among other systems.
Until about a year ago, those systems were only able to be operated
by manual inputs -- but the cable allows the controls to be
operated from remote signals sent up from the ground.
In theory, that would allow ground controllers to fly the
shuttle by remote... hopefully to a successful landing on terra
firma.
The Times reports such a remote landing might be attempted at
California's Vandenburg Air Force Base, where the approach to
landing would take place over water. The idea has evolved over the
past year and is a big change in NASA thinking.
As late as a year ago, NASA officials insisted that a landing
without astronauts was impossible... but NASA Spokesman Kyle
Herring says if all else fails, and re-entry is just too risky for
a manned shuttle... bringing it home on remote might just work.
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