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That's one capability that was lost with the space shuttle. There's nothing remaining nor planned that can bring something that size back from LEO. I feel like
by wkat4242 11mo ago
That's one capability that was lost with the space shuttle. There's nothing remaining nor planned that can bring something that size back from LEO.
I feel like materials science could learn a lot more about radiation embrittlement and high energy micro impacts.
The space shuttle is often regarded as a huge mistake and in many ways (reusability especially, it was more like rebuildability :) ) it was, but it was still hell of a machine.
- femto 11mo ago> That's one capability that was lost with the space shuttle. There's nothing remaining nor planned that can bring something that size back from LEO. Surely the X-37 could be used to bring a satellite down, even if it's not an acknowledged capability?
- NooneAtAll3 11mo agoonly a very tiny one at most
- mr_toad 11mo agoThe X-37 is tiny, it’s only 5 tonnes itself. But one of the uses is probably to bring back smaller satellites to determine how long term exposure in space has affected them.
- kjs3 11mo agoI feel like materials science could learn a lot more about radiation embrittlement and high energy micro impacts. They do those experiments on the ISS: https://www.nasa.gov/materials-international-space-station-experiment-x-misse-x/ https://www.nasa.gov/materials-international-space-station-e...
- ACCount37 11mo agoStarship might be capable, once it gets the "chomper" cargo bay. Would require custom hardware though.
- wkat4242 11mo agoYeah the cool thing about the shuttle is that it also was a mini space station. Astronauts could actually live in it for a while. Which came in handy building the ISS I'm sure. Robotics weren't what they are now so it was a lot of hand work.