Talk:Space Shuttle orbiter

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[edit] Use of Shuttle after retirement

NASA plans retire the Shuttle by 2010, but the space planes perhaps could be use after this. Every orbiter was designed for 100 flights, a number never reached. With some modification they can transform into a single stage to orbit (SSTO) and so use for Space Tourism: orbital flights and/or visits to the ISS (currently visited at present) Replacing the three SSME by two Ramjet-Scramjet engines and firing strongers OMS engines in the upper atmosphere shuttle can reach the orbit. Shuttle would be thrown by a carrier Boeing 747 gaining speed enough to ignite de Ramjets. LH2/LOX fuel would storage in tanks into the Payload Bay. This will convert the shuttle in a fully reusable spacecraft. User:201.220.222.140

While the hardware may have been intended for 100 launches each, they were designed assuming significantly more frequent launches. From January 1985 to January 1986, we had 10 launches, and this was before launches started from California (which had been planned for later in 1986. Some of the shuttle components were only rated for 10 years, and are now over 20 years old. (Read the article Space Shuttle Atlantis, "Aging" section.) Even Endeavour will be 20 years old by the time the program has ended. As for modifying for launch from a 747, there is no reasonable way to modify the shuttle to be capable of achieving orbital velocity launched that way. It's just too big and heavy. (Remember, the 747 only carries the Shuttle when it is completely empty, I don't think a 747 could carry a Shuttle with a payload bay full of fuel.) 71.193.207.217 08:38, 21 August 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Shuttle cost

How much does an orbiter cost to build? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 4.155.27.103 (talk) 08:10, 20 March 2007 (UTC).

Difficult to say. I believe the average has been about $2,000,000,000 but if all of them had been built at the same time that cost would have been much lower since they could have run a 'production line'. I'm not sure where we'd find offical figures on that. Mark Grant 02:54, 30 May 2007 (UTC)
Too much, from what i have heard Mark is right 2 billion, but probably more in todays dollars.Chris H 02:13, 31 May 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Components

What are the windows made of? Where are the The Orbital Maneuvering System, the Reaction Control System, and the Thermal Protection System located, and how do they work? What is the parachute made of? How is it deployed?
Should these questions be answered in this article, or are there already articles on these topics, and if there are, could someone please add them to the "see also" section?

Vsst 00:52, 30 May 2007 (UTC)

The diagram on the page answers some of those questions, but I agree that there could be more detailed explanations in the text. As for the windows, I believe they're made of three or four layers of glass; amongst other things, by using multiple layers, a crack in one layer due to space debris impact won't cause depressurisation. Mark Grant 02:53, 30 May 2007 (UTC)
I'd love to know the heights of the three levels of the shuttle cabin: the flight deck (height probably varies, though), the mid-deck, and the utility area below the mid-deck. I've found everything else but that. I haven't found any source on the web (including nasa websites), or any of a number of detailed books that mention these heights.

--69.38.146.34 18:25, 4 July 2007 (UTC)

This is completely original research, but the lower equipment bay is only a few feet deep; the middeck is comfortable to stand in, probably around a 7 foot ceiling; and I can only stand under the windows in the flight deck without hitting my head on the overhead panel, so 6 feet at most, and a bit less for most of it. --anonymous6494 04:06, 21 December 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Merge Potential?

Just posing the thought that this article should be merged with Space Shuttle. That article deals with the orbiter and not the entire Space Shuttle program, so I see no conflict, but I'm not up on wiki standards in this regard. Ageekgal 17:28, 21 August 2007 (UTC)

Actually, as I understand it, Orbiter is about the spaceplane itself. Then Space Shuttle is about the whole Space Transportation System stack. Then Space Shuttle Program is the NASA program that operates the shuttles. It's a bit complicated where it breaks, and there is some overlap, and I think there's still room for improvement. SchuminWeb (Talk) 19:02, 21 August 2007 (UTC)
Gotcha. Thank you for the clarification, and for cleaning up my improper placement of my question on the talk page. (oops). - Ageekgal 19:22, 21 August 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Airlock

I think the airlock has been re-modelled from an original postion where it occupied part of the mid-deck to one where there is a hatch entrance to a unit in the payload bay that also forms the docking mechanism with the ISS. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 212.137.70.194 (talk) 16:18, 13 October 2007 (UTC)

All of the current orbiters have the external airlock you mention. I think Columbia still had the internal airlock. anonymous6494 04:08, 21 December 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Article title capitalization

I am of the opinion that the proper capitalization for the title of this article would be, "Space Shuttle orbiter." Am I mistaken? (sdsds - talk) 02:48, 12 March 2008 (UTC)

Considering that the text of the article refers to "orbiter" in lowercase throughout, I will agree with you, and I've gone ahead and completed the move. SchuminWeb (Talk) 04:48, 12 March 2008 (UTC)