Re: Space Shuttle Lands Safely

It would likely be cheaper to use anything unmanned and expendable -
you don't have to worry about all the unneccessary weight like food,
wings & people.

The cheapest are the Energia/Proton or the Long March. However these
are based on low labor costs. The cheapest based on conperable labor is
Ariane. Long Marches and Protons could be inported but it would not be
a good idea to produce them under license because they would not be
cheaper with US labor costs. Ariane would be.

We were told that the shuttle would bring about reductions in cost as
compared with expendible rockets. You reuse engines, airframe etc. In
fact the reverse is the case. The first stage of Ariane is recovered by
the way. It is only the upper stages that are thrown away.

just how do the different
launchers stack up in payload cost per pound? Also, what sort of
payloads can't be flown on any but the most powerful launchers?

The cost of Ariane is per Kg. Spy satellites require heavy indivisable
launches. Most payloads I suspect could be taken up in the X-plane and
assembled in space either by astronauts or by robots. This leads me on
to another point. If all the money spent on the shuttle had been spent
on research into efficient manipulative robots which could stay in
space.

a) We would have considerable spin off here on Earth.
b) The assembly system would be considerably more efficient than using
Astronauts.

We need not envisage highly developed AI. All that would be required
would be devices capable of sensory feedback and capable of auonomous
action for a quadruple journey to GEO and back. In fact if you used
satellites in medium orbit (GPS Galilleo height) you would get spin off
in terms of a more efficient Internet. With MEO there is virtually
instantaneous feedback and an operator on Earth could simply wear a
suit.

Meaningful metrics?

I talk about cost and reliability. Ariane flights do not regularly get
suspended. If I wanted to put a satellite up I would probably use
Proton or Long March. If there were problems with transfer of
technology Ariane. I would not use the Shuttle under any circumstances.

.