3 ms·
How about just making a detachable LHe tank and send some replacement helium every few years? Shouldn't be too costly even given the day-to-day cost of running
by iwwr 14y ago
How about just making a detachable LHe tank and send some replacement helium every few years? Shouldn't be too costly even given the day-to-day cost of running a space observatory.
- mturmon 14y agoGiven the weight of the LHe tank, I think they'd rather send up a new telescope along with the tank.
- VLM 13y agoEven worse the helium was the limiting consumable in this particular case, but for the next scope the last gyro might burn out in 5 years. So now you need a supply of gyros, more likely an entire nav unit bolted permanently on. And next time the battery croaks so you need a battery and a way to install it and isolate the old one such that you can never end up with neither installed. And next time the transmitter final power amp goes thru too many thermal cycles and cracks so you need a complete telemetry unit. Yes I know there are good reasons why they put it at a L point, but unscheduled unplanned maint is exactly what the ISS could have been perfect for. Position this dude in the same orbit but at a phase 10 miles away so its not too close, and send a live astronaut with a new battery or whatever anytime "something" fails. To say the ISS project is not managed this way would be an understatement. But someday, an unscheduled repair shop in space will exist, and probably be quite profitable.