[iwar] re: keeping Mir in orbit


From: David Alexander
To: 'iwar submissions'
From: david.alexander@bookham.com
To: iwar@yahoogroups.com

Tue, 27 Mar 2001 09:43:46 +0100


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Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2001 09:43:46 +0100
Reply-To: iwar@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [iwar] re: keeping Mir in orbit
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>I have to wonder ... seems to me that a very small thrust-device could have
>been attached that would have pushed Mir into higher orbit, and we could
>have kept it in orbit indefinitely.  Regardless of its functionality, as a 
>source
>of raw materials, just imagine the cost of putting that much mass into
orbit.

MIR was in quite a low Earth orbit that decays quite fast. The ISS drops
something like 1 mile per week, and needs to be reboosted by the shuttle on
every visit. A permanently attached booster unit was planned, but I believe
is one of the victims of the recent budget cuts.

In order to achieve anything like a 'permanent'  orbit the booster would
need to have taken MIR out to near the geosynchronous belt at 25,000 miles,
and that is a long way to move 135 tons. Lots of reaction mass needed, so
quite a big thrust device actually.

In addition, the 'raw materials' are unlikely to be of any use - no way to
reprocess them up there, and the damage from micrometeorites, radiation, etc
are likely to have rendered the whole thing useless before there was any
means to try to recycle any of the station. None of it's systems would be
compatible with the new designs adopted for ISS anyway.

The mass is only acting as space debris if it is of no use. Doesn't matter
if it is 1 ton or 1 million - if it serves no purpose, it's just getting in
the way. Again, meteorite collision could break it up into smaller particles
with random orbits that could pose a danger to other low-earth orbit bodies
or anything being launched. You would also lose control over where to bring
it down if any damage occurred to the control systems. Would you want to
risk it coming down somewhere populated ?

hope this helps to explain matters.

David Alexander M.INSTIS
Global client-server & Communications Manager
Bookham Technology plc

DDI: 01235 837823
David.Alexander@Bookham.com


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