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Is it not possible (yet) to return them to the surface in a controlled manner via a SpaceX capsule of some kind? (Or just not seen as worth the expense?)

by thorum 3y ago

duskwuff 3y ago
The only such capsules available are already being used to return astronauts. There isn't enough spare capacity for returning much else -- and certainly not 2.6 metric tons of batteries.
mandevil 3y ago
The Space Shuttle was weird and unusual in that it was the only spacecraft ever capable of bringing significant payload back down to Earth. It cost a whole lot of payload up mass to get that capability (every flight had to carry the reentry protection for that huge payload bay, even if you didn't actually need it) and it was used on several occasions- things like Palapa and Westar (STS-51A), Solar Max, and all the SpaceLab missions- but on many other flights the payload bay came home ~empty and all that protection weight could have had better uses. All that comes home in current spacecraft (Dragon, CST, Soyuz, Shenzhou) is the small compartment with the people in it, and each of them even leaves the "orbital module"- all the fuel etc. behind to be burned up in the atmosphere. (Progress cargo flights burn up, but Cargo Dragon is actually recovered so some amount of cargo can be returned fully to Earth, but its mostly scientific stuff that is coming back in there right now as I understand it.)
- KennyBlanken 3y ago
  That's because the Space Shuttle was designed to be a spy-agency space cargo van (with parts from nearly every congressional district to guarantee it would sail through congressional approval despite being hideously expensive and impractical.) Make everyone go "ooo, lookie at the science teacher doing experiments to see how [plant/animal] acts in space, everybody!" so they pay no attention to the spy satellite in the cargo bay (or the different spy satellite, or other equipment, being brought back.)
bagels 3y ago
It's basically free to let the orbit decay. It is hundreds of millions or billions of dollars to return it to earth. It doesn't make sense to spend a billion dollars on literal trash.
- dotancohen 3y ago
  It does make sense to steer the literal trash away from population centres.
  - bagels 3y ago
    Things that are maneuverable are usually sent to the spacecraft cemetery: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spacecraft_cemetery https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spacecraft_cemetery
    - dotancohen 3y ago
      For LEO objects (which this is), yes.

Is it not possible (yet) to return them to the surface in a controlled manner via a SpaceX capsule of some kind? (Or just not seen as worth the expense?)

by thorum 3y ago

Is it not possible (yet) to return them to the surface in a controlled manner via a SpaceX capsule of some kind? (Or just not seen as worth the expense?)

duskwuff 3y ago

The only such capsules available are already being used to return astronauts. There isn't enough spare capacity for returning much else -- and certainly not 2.6 metric tons of batteries.

mandevil 3y ago

The Space Shuttle was weird and unusual in that it was the only spacecraft ever capable of bringing significant payload back down to Earth. It cost a whole lot of payload up mass to get that capability (every flight had to carry the reentry protection for that huge payload bay, even if you didn't actually need it) and it was used on several occasions- things like Palapa and Westar (STS-51A), Solar Max, and all the SpaceLab missions- but on many other flights the payload bay came home ~empty and all that protection weight could have had better uses. All that comes home in current spacecraft (Dragon, CST, Soyuz, Shenzhou) is the small compartment with the people in it, and each of them even leaves the "orbital module"- all the fuel etc. behind to be burned up in the atmosphere. (Progress cargo flights burn up, but Cargo Dragon is actually recovered so some amount of cargo can be returned fully to Earth, but its mostly scientific stuff that is coming back in there right now as I understand it.)

KennyBlanken 3y ago
That's because the Space Shuttle was designed to be a spy-agency space cargo van (with parts from nearly every congressional district to guarantee it would sail through congressional approval despite being hideously expensive and impractical.) Make everyone go "ooo, lookie at the science teacher doing experiments to see how [plant/animal] acts in space, everybody!" so they pay no attention to the spy satellite in the cargo bay (or the different spy satellite, or other equipment, being brought back.)

bagels 3y ago

It's basically free to let the orbit decay. It is hundreds of millions or billions of dollars to return it to earth. It doesn't make sense to spend a billion dollars on literal trash.

dotancohen 3y ago
It does make sense to steer the literal trash away from population centres.
- bagels 3y ago
  Things that are maneuverable are usually sent to the spacecraft cemetery: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spacecraft_cemetery https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spacecraft_cemetery
  - dotancohen 3y ago
    For LEO objects (which this is), yes.