Request Claws for Columbia

[Graham2001]

I found a techno-thriller called The Hunting of Salyut 7 (Cover attached). It seems to have been intended for release around the time of the Space Shuttles planned first flight in 1979. It finally came out in 1981.

The shuttle featured in it is a thinly disguised Columbia (aka 'Orbiter 102'). The author chose to outfit his version of Columbia with an RMS system ending in a grasping claw as shown on the attached cover.

This might make for a Columbia-specific addon for the Shuttle Fleet or perphaps an alternate Universal RMS.

Graham

 

[Missioncmdr]

Never knew that Salyut 7 was the world's most deadly weapons system.

 

[Graham2001]

Never knew that Salyut 7 was the world's most deadly weapons system.

At the time this was written (1978 or so) the Russians had been alternating military with civilian Stations. Salyut 6 had been a civilian station, so Salyut 7 was going to be the military one, or at least that's what everyone thought...

 

[SiberianTiger]

At the time this was written (1978 or so) the Russians had been alternating military with civilian Stations. Salyut 6 had been a civilian station, so Salyut 7 was going to be the military one, or at least that's what everyone thought...

I can't help but quote this one again:

A TV news report in the USSR:

"... the entire world stays mind-blown by a sudden and inexplicable disappearance of the US Navy 7th Fleet in Pacific Ocean."
"Now, the other news. Cosmonauts Lyakhov and Ryumin continued to perform scientific experiments on board of the Salyut-6 space station..."

:lol:

 

[Graham2001]

I can't help but quote this one again:

A TV news report in the USSR:

"... the entire world stays mind-blown by a sudden and inexplicable disappearance of the US Navy 7th Fleet in Pacific Ocean."
"Now, the other news. Cosmonauts Lyakhov and Ryumin continued to perform scientific experiments on board of the Salyut-6 space station..."

:lol:

:lol:

Where on Earth did you find that?

 

[SiberianTiger]

:lol:
Where on Earth did you find that?

Hard to say... Maybe it just rose to surface from the depth of my memory.

 

[Graham2001]

Was going through an early 1980's book I had and found the attached amongst the early NASA shuttle artwork contained therein.

Might also be something worth modeling as part of an 'alternate shuttle' pack.

 

[Graham2001]

I'b bumping this one because the NTRS has uploaded a Jan 1972 study into the preliminary design of the RMS. This predates Nixons decision to only allow NASA to proceed with Shuttle Development, so you also get to see the space station NASA wanted to have ready to launch at the same time as the shuttle.

If anyone is interested in trying to develop this version of the RMS, just use the following links for all the details.

1. A shuttle and space station manipulator system for assembly, docking, maintenance cargo handling and spacecraft retrieval (preliminary design). Volume 1: Management summary

2. A shuttle and space station manipulator system for assembly, docking, maintenance, cargo handling and spacecraft retrieval (preliminary design). Volume 2: Concept development and selection

3. A shuttle and space station manipulator system for assembly, docking, maintenance, cargo handling and spacecraft retrieval (preliminary design). Volume 3: Concept analysis. Part 1: Technical

4. shuttle and space station manipulator system for assembly, docking, maintenance, cargo handling and spacecraft retrieval (preliminary design). Volume 3: Concept analysis. Part 2: Development program

5. A shuttle and space station manipulator system for assembly, docking, maintenance, cargo handling and spacecraft retrieval (preliminary design). Volume 4: Simulation studies