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WHEEE!!
As Spiked Punch said, I have seen all the fireworks I need to today, with the successful launch of Shuttle Discovery!
I would love to be in Florida and be able to watch the launch in person!
Question(s) for the more technically oriented people who might read this:
The solid rocket boosters (on the side) are reused, correct? and the big one isn't?
How high up is it when the shuttle separates from the big external tank?
Basically, what I would like to know, since materials are so expensive to get up into orbit, even the LEO orbit that is all we can get to anymore, how expensive in terms of fuel would it be to not detach the external tank and just take it to orbit? I've read about them doing that in several science fiction novels, but I've never come across anything about them actually doing it.
They are getting ready as I type this for a orbital correction burn, they would obviously need more fuel to achieve the needed orbit if the external tank was still part of the equation, but how much?
As Spiked Punch said, I have seen all the fireworks I need to today, with the successful launch of Shuttle Discovery!
I would love to be in Florida and be able to watch the launch in person!
Question(s) for the more technically oriented people who might read this:
The solid rocket boosters (on the side) are reused, correct? and the big one isn't?
How high up is it when the shuttle separates from the big external tank?
Basically, what I would like to know, since materials are so expensive to get up into orbit, even the LEO orbit that is all we can get to anymore, how expensive in terms of fuel would it be to not detach the external tank and just take it to orbit? I've read about them doing that in several science fiction novels, but I've never come across anything about them actually doing it.
They are getting ready as I type this for a orbital correction burn, they would obviously need more fuel to achieve the needed orbit if the external tank was still part of the equation, but how much?