random brilliance?

ColJack

ColJack

Joined
16 Feb 2007
Messages
11,795
Reaction score
482
Location
West Midlands
Country
United Kingdom
saw something on TV the other day about the International Space station..

a thought occured to me..

the space shuttle goes up with a big fuel tank on it which then gets dumped..

could these not be fitted out in such a way that you could "pop" the nose cone off to reveal a docking hatch, and have it as a storage module etc on the ISS?

surely opening it to the vacuum of space will rid it of any traces of leftover fuel, and once re-pressurised it would be a vast space to use as whatever they wanted..

can they use cutting and welding tools in space? probably not thinks I.. not oxy stuff anyway.. it would work like a jet pack..

they could be cut and welded to form a large ring.. like all those old scifi shows imagined space stations to be..
 
Sponsored Links
I was thinking more of the H&S implications of having a rather large metal tank falling back to earth and landing on some poor schmoe out on a fishing trip.. :LOL:
 
ColJack said:
I was thinking more of the H&S implications of having a rather large metal tank falling back to earth and landing on some poor schmoe out on a fishing trip.. :LOL:
Click to expand...
I can hear him now..." Bream me up Scottie"
 
Sponsored Links
Bit of a snag.... The external tanks weigh between 25 and 30 tonnes dry weight, and the total payload the shuttle can carry to low earth orbit is about 24 Tonnes. To achieve geostationary orbit the payload is is something like half a ton.


So if they didn't dump the tank they'd never get the shuttle up there.
 
They could put a space shuttle on it to see if it would take off :LOL:
 
the tank is carried to low earth orbit anyway.. so add a few feet to it to allow for more fuel and leave it attatched..
it's virtually there anyway and stays with the shuttle for about 9 minutes...

strap a couple of extra SRB's to it and let them take it to orbit after it's seperated... ;)

it just seems a waste.. the tanks are designed to explode on re-entry also..

they are jetisoned with fuel still inside ( because the shuttle engines don't like to be run dry.. ) and are sealed off..
the tank heats up to the point where the internal preasure causes it to explode... ensuring that it is broken up to be incinerated during re-entry..
 
surely opening it to the vacuum of space will rid it of any traces of leftover fuel, and once re-pressurised it would be a vast space to use as whatever they wanted
Click to expand...
......only if it were pressurised. Unless it is deliberately pressurised it will de-pressurise with altitude. Either that or implode/explode.

can they use cutting and welding tools in space? probably not thinks I.. not oxy stuff anyway.. it would work like a jet pack..
Click to expand...
It is possible to weld in a vacuum by using elastic trickery.

Gravity and atmosphere are like quicksand and glue to a wannabe space traveller.
 
What we need is a zero gravity launch pad. Then each new space station can be built further from the Earth.

...oh, and a rather long tube bringing fresh water and fuel to the initial station/launch pad.
..and food.

Do you think NASSA are monitoring this thread.

Waddya think B.O.B.
 
you talking about a space elevator?

and pressurised is a relative term.. if you close an "empty" container at sea level then take it to space, the inside is pressurised with respect to outside..

in a vacuum a liquid will vapourise and should be sucked out into space when opened..
 
Why waste the money?

Its gonna take us at least another 20 years to get to Mars, and as space goes thats about as far from earth as each hair folicleis (sic) to the next on my head. Save the bald jokes as Im not.

Would it not be better spent on the greatest team to ever leave the football league this season. Save the smart comments on this aswell.

I guess some twit will post a 'humerous comment' but really..eh?? Who cares? BTW Coljack - great comment about the arse :eek: :D

Dave
 
I don't think we need to worry about the ISS. The way the global economy is going I'd be surprised if there is much/any work done on Space Exploration etc for quite a long while to come.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Sponsored Links
Back
Top