Thread by @therealaeroblog

How to STEAL a 25,000 lbs Satellite Straight Out of Space

By: NASA

A Thread🧵

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The Space Shuttle program, spanning over 30 years and boasting an impressive record of more than 100 missions. Throughout its remarkable journey, the Space Shuttle exhibited a wide range of capabilities, becoming a pioneering force in space construction and satellite servicing… https://t.co/XHbwE4o29xtwitter.com/i/web/status/1…

Among the diverse missions, one particular plan - Shuttle Reference Mission 3B - was one of the craziest ever proposed. Although it was never attempted, it proved instrumental in influencing the Space Shuttle's design.

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During the early stages of the Space Shuttle program, garnering political support was a formidable challenge, nearly leading to its cancellation by a single vote. To overcome this hurdle, NASA struck a deal with the Department of Defense (DoD). In exchange for redesigning the… https://t.co/dg9BTrDgVOtwitter.com/i/web/status/1…

The most notable modification entailed expanding the payload bay to accommodate the new generation of reconnaissance satellites. While this decision enabled NASA to advance its space station objectives, it posed significant challenges to the shuttle's design, requiring the… https://t.co/5OWKsm6zxTtwitter.com/i/web/status/1…

The DoD's requirements for the Space Shuttle were particularly demanding, necessitating a massive payload bay measuring approximately 15 feet wide and 60 feet long (approximately 4.5 meters by 18 meters).

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This expansion allowed the shuttle to accommodate the new generation of reconnaissance satellites, thus cementing its role as a versatile platform for satellite deployment and servicing. NASA embraced this opportunity as it aligned with their objectives, particularly during the… https://t.co/3PNMXPo5tltwitter.com/i/web/status/1…

Mission-3B Plan

Mission 3B envisioned a single orbit rendezvous and capture of a spacecraft orbiting in near polar orbit, with the unique objective of an immediate return to the launch site.

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Launching from Vandenberg Air Force Base on the west coast of the United States, the shuttle would follow a carefully designed trajectory, taking approximately 12 minutes to reach orbit and align with the target satellite. It was essential to use the west coast launch site for… https://t.co/GwU9oMoN8Mtwitter.com/i/web/status/1…

The trajectory of this mission was meticulously designed, and the shuttle would head southwards, taking approximately 12 minutes to reach orbit and align with the target satellite. Upon reaching orbit, the orbiter would open its payload bay doors and initiate preparations for the… https://t.co/R6UTLvrFOHtwitter.com/i/web/status/1…

The elliptical trajectory was meticulously calculated to intercept the target within 20 minutes, during which the spacecraft performed constant measurements and adjustments to fine-tune its approach. Ground control involvement during this operation was limited, and the onboard… https://t.co/wN0T0ZitXdtwitter.com/i/web/status/1…

As the shuttle closed in on the target, its approach speed was initially about 30 meters per second, necessitating meticulous maneuvering to reduce the speed to approximately three meters per second once within a hundred meters of the target. The challenging capture process… https://t.co/vxnFVrHXNYtwitter.com/i/web/status/1…

Once the satellite was securely stowed, the payload bay doors would be closed, and the de-orbit burn would commence as the shuttle crossed the equator heading north over Africa. The de-orbit burn, performed using one of the orbital maneuvering system (OMS) pods, was designed with… https://t.co/bMEIlP80mCtwitter.com/i/web/status/1…

The shuttle's descent and re-entry trajectory would take it over Greenland, the North Pole, and Europe, requiring a wide curve turn at hypersonic speeds, showcasing the cross-range capabilities of the shuttle and the significance of its enlarged delta wings.

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Finally, the shuttle would fly down the west coast of the United States, producing sonic booms as it approached towns like San Francisco, and ultimately touch down at Vandenberg Air Force Base approximately one hour and 50 minutes after liftoff. And that is how you steal a… https://t.co/NZeNX5POU7twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

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https://twitter.com/therealaeroblog/status/1686048370585120770?s=20

Shoutout @LaunchOoc and @DKiSAerospace for the thread idea