Asri-unix.1225 net.space utzoo!decvax!cca!sri-unix!A.exp@Berkeley Wed Apr 14 21:06:26 1982 External tank and solids in payload bay It is better to haul up solid boosters for the external tank inside the cargo bay than haul them up on the place on the tank to which they would be attached. The latter requires an reconfiguration for aerodynamics and balance because nothing is designed to be outside the present Shuttle body while it goes through the atmosphere into orbit. The former requires only some bolts on the solid boosters and on the positions they would be attached to on the external tank, and a control mechanism to keep the external tank going in the right direction, such as a gimbal on the mounts. The Shuttle arm can mount the solid boosters on the external tank after it is released from the Shuttle. ----------------------------------------------------------------- gopher://quux.org/ conversion by John Goerzen of http://communication.ucsd.edu/A-News/ This Usenet Oldnews Archive article may be copied and distributed freely, provided: 1. There is no money collected for the text(s) of the articles. 2. The following notice remains appended to each copy: The Usenet Oldnews Archive: Compilation Copyright (C) 1981, 1996 Bruce Jones, Henry Spencer, David Wiseman.