Arabbit.229
net.space
utcsrgv!utzoo!decvax!ucbvax!ihnss!vax135!harpo!npois!rabbit!sjb
Wed Feb 10 20:54:40 1982
Space News
NASA officials today asked Congress to approve money for a
fifth space shuttle, citing that the fleet of four will not
be enough to meet demands of those who want to launch cargo
into Earth orbit. Last year, NASA signed up 41 customers who
will pay to have their satellites launched with either the
shuttle (upon operational readiness) or expendable boosters,
(to be phased out slowly). A launch schedule was released,
containing plans for 70 flights up to September, 1987, with
most of them being multi-payload. These contain (in order
of most to least) communications satellite, DoD cargo (usually
secret), scientific instruments, and the European Spacelab.
NASA plans 24 shuttle launches per year by 1988.
Major General James Abrahamson, head of the shuttle project,
said that when one of the shuttles needs to be taken out of
action, be it for repairs or to fix a major accident, a fifth
would smooth out launch schedule disruptions.
The Columbia is scheduled to launch on its third test flight on
22 March, with STS-4 on 7 July and then it's first operational
flight (with two communications satellites) is to come on 11
November. Challenger is scheduled to be delivered in June, with
its maiden flight in January, 1983. Discovery is to be delivered
in September, 1983 with Atlantis to follow in December, 1984.
STS-4 will land at Edwards, in contrast to earlier hopes of
landing on the runway at Cape Canaveral, to gain further descent
and landing data. On the November, 1982, launch, the first
shuttle spacewalk, utilizing a new jack backpack, may be made.
New, lighter heat-protective tiles will be installed on Discovery,
thus lightening it by 3500 pounds. Lighter external tanks and
SRB's are also being developed.
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