AND NOW, THE SUPER SHUTTLE!

Firefly Serenity, not Super Shuttle just an example

Beautifully ugly, the new Super Shuttle will carry on in BEO (Beyond Earth Orbit) the glorious and successful tradition set by its predecessor. It is beautiful because of all the features and capabilities it has that enable it to support a variety of deep space projects.It is ugly, because unlike our well loved and honored original space shuttle, Super Shuttle is not designed to ever leave or re-enter a planetary atmosphere.It, therefore, does not require those lovely aerodynamic elements that make it flyable in an atmosphere. It is strictly a space vehicle that, like Serenity, plies space with a variety of important tasks that advances humankind's exploration of our solar system.

Super Shuttle will be the result of a joint, international design team and may be built in one of several countries, however, it will only be assembled and tested in low Earth orbit. It will be the responsibility of the commercial space companies to transfer Super Shuttle's parts up to the International Space Station where it will be fully assembled and tested.

Click to enlarge.

VASIMR or the likes thereof are the propulsion systems on Super Shuttle.Since it does not have to reach an escape velocity from any planetary body, Super Shuttle does not need the heavy lift support that spacecraft launched from Earth require. This produces a vital profile change that allows Super Shuttle's design to be a versatile "space truck", crew transport vehicle, and rescue vehicle.  In this latter function, Super Shuttle always carries on board a rescue spacecraft that, if necessary, can carry crew to or recover them from a planetary environment or space station.

Super Shuttle will be the first spacecraft to take advantage of the "in-orbit" refueling capabilities that will be a part of the expanded International Space Station (ISS).The ISS will also serve as a VASIMR service facility. Fuel and supplies for these functions will be carried to the ISS by commercial space operations.

In its space truck mode, Super Shuttle will have two robotic arms that will provide it with the ability to load and unload a variety of material including satellites, space telescopes, and roborovers and other robot devices.  In this latter function, Super Shuttle will actually carry both the crew and the roborover for the planned exploration of a Near Earth Object (asteroid). The crew on the Super Shuttle will use the robotic arms to place the roborover onto the asteroid to begin the scientific survey.  To learn more about this program you are encouraged to visit a related blog series in Explorology. You may link to it here. There are five parts in this series and you are encouraged to read all of them.

Super Shuttle has the capability to transport a total of 10 astronaut crew plus its designated mission payload. The normal crew compliment on Super Shuttle is 4 astronauts and 2 robonauts.The robonauts are not considered in the max astronaut crew limit.  Crew exchanges occur at the ISS. Super Shuttle crew are transferred to and from Earth by commercial space operations. The robonauts, however, remain on the ISS and are maintained there between assignments on the Super Shuttle.

Here is a preliminary list of possible space missions to be carried out, in part, by the Super Shuttle:

1. International exploration of a Near Earth Object
2. Placement of a special space telescope in a Venus type orbit, that will work exclusively to detect dangerous Near Earth Objects
2a. Support the launching of interdictory spacecraft to intercept and deter Near Earth Objects that are a definite impact threat to Earth.
3. Support the foundation and operation of the first International Lunar Research Park on Earth's Moon.
4. Support the construction and servicing of the International Mars Research Station (an orbiting spacecraft like the ISS).
5. Support the robotic exploration of Saturn's moon Titan.

Yes, we know all of this, right now, is still a dream, but we believe a very realistic dream that can be fully implemented by a well coordinated international space team. It will stay a dream only if we fail to act as an international body and bring spacefaring to all the citizens of planet Earth. Let's not delay; great explorations, with amazing discoveries await us.