Helping Hubble

[Johnny Pneumatic]

The good news

 

[garys_2k]

A robotic mission to add batteries and control jets, as the shuttle still has no refuge.

Have they considered a lifeboat for the shuttle? I seem to distantly recall a sci-fi story about some kind of emergency landing gizmo, maybe inflatable, that would allow descent in an emergency.

 

[Wrath of the Swarm]

I don't think an inflatable anything would survive re-entry.

There have been propositions for probe landers that would inflate once they'd entered the atmosphere of Mars, but the situation and conditions are quite different.

 

[garys_2k]

I don't know, it would seem to be a straightforward engineering problem. Inflate the balloon, harden the goop in the skin, climb inside.

 

[Hagrok]

I don't think an inflatable anything would survive re-entry.

There have been propositions for probe landers that would inflate once they'd entered the atmosphere of Mars, but the situation and conditions are quite different.

Propositions? That's part of the system (along with parachutes) that got our two current probes on Mars. Neat stuff...

JPL Site

You are of course right that an inflatable system on Earth would be a bit more problematic, if it was possible at all...

--Dan

 

[Wrath of the Swarm]

I don't know, it would seem to be a straightforward engineering problem. Inflate the balloon, harden the goop in the skin, climb inside.

Yes, and then how do you keep the thing from burning up in the atmosphere?

Ah, so those plans did work. (I haven't followed any Mars missions for several years, so my information is a bit out-of-date.)

 

[Rob Lister]

A robotic mission to add batteries and control jets, as the shuttle still has no refuge.

Have they considered a lifeboat for the shuttle? I seem to distantly recall a sci-fi story about some kind of emergency landing gizmo, maybe inflatable, that would allow descent in an emergency.

If their only concern is that it might pose a safety hazard on re-entry (and that appears to be the only concern -- I mean, what would you do with it if you did land it gently?), then I say nuke it now. Not only would it be good target practice for the military (Air Force, I suppose) but it would make a pretty show.

Edit: sprelling.

 

[Hagrok]

If their only concern is that it might pose a safety hazard on re-entry (and that appears to be the only concern -- I mean, what would you do with it if you did land it gently?), then I say nuke it now. Not only would it be good target practice for the military (Air Force, I suppose) but it would make a pretty show.

Edit: sprelling.

I realize you're probably joking, but a High Altitude Nuclear Detonation (HAND, as we call 'em) could potentially fry just about every satellite in low earth orbit. Not a great idea (unless that's what somebody was aiming for).

--Dan

 

[Hellbound]

I realize you're probably joking, but a High Altitude Nuclear Detonation (HAND, as we call 'em) could potentially fry just about every satellite in low earth orbit. Not a great idea (unless that's what somebody was aiming for).

--Dan

Hmmm.....

Huntsman quickly makes some changes to his world domination plan...

 

[Rob Lister]

I realize you're probably joking, but a High Altitude Nuclear Detonation (HAND, as we call 'em) could potentially fry just about every satellite in low earth orbit. Not a great idea (unless that's what somebody was aiming for).

--Dan

You're such a fuddy-duddy. Okay, let's keep it under 20kt yeild. At that orbit (350? miles) it shouldn't damage too much. And it would be so pretty!

We could even blame it on North Korea and invade them.

Edit: Or even better, France!

 

[garys_2k]

Yes, and then how do you keep the thing from burning up in the atmosphere?

That's what the goop is for.

Inflate the balloon with a double skin. Inject the expanding foam goop into the interskin space, let it swell and set, go inside.

It would need basic short-term life support, a parachute assembly and would have to float, but just deorbit at whatever time it would land in an ocean and track it down with radar. Meet it within hours of spashdown.

 

[Johnny Pneumatic]

Ah, so those plans did work. (I haven't followed any Mars missions for several years, so my information is a bit out-of-date.) [/B]

Good golly man! They were used in 97'. Have you heard of black holes?

 

[Wrath of the Swarm]

I can't keep up with the developments in every field.

In any case, I'm reasonably confident that solutions for Mars won't work with an Earth re-entry.

 

[SquishyDave]

I can't keep up with the developments in every field.

In any case, I'm reasonably confident that solutions for Mars won't work with an Earth re-entry.

See? You're being controversal again.

The main problem with surfing down to earth in a balloon is burning up, but if the goop you hardened had heat properties similar to the tiles on the space craft, you might manage it. Shouldn't it also slow down faster than a space shuttle, being tons lighter?

It might be hard, but I don't see why it should be impossible, if you have the right materials. (A huge galaxy sized IF I know.)