[ale] OT: Space Shuttle Columbia

[hbbs at attbi.com (Jeff Hubbs)]

> Weight. It takes plenty of fuel to orbit each pound (somebody around here 
> will have the ratio to hand). So you don't carry an EVA suit so you can 
> reach a higher altitude, or carry something else. There is a reason those 
> blasted tiles are so fragile - and part of it is weight, or perhaps more 
> accurately lack thereof.

Hm, if I follow that logic, wouldn't they be able to leave behind one
main engine or an APU or two?  

I would also like to know what about this particular mission mandated
any particular altitude?  Why NOT make this mission's orbit
ISS-rendezvous-friendly?

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