Space Forum / Shuttle / December 2003

OK, I know there is a group for it, but there has been chat on here and I
notice, an increasing interest in other non shuttle topics, so...

There does seem to be an increasing failure rate for equipment on the ISS,
of late, some of it quite important, by the look of it, and I just wondered
about reliability in general.

Eyebrows were raised when it became clear that a Shuttle need much more
repairs and maintenance after a flight than was advertised, and it looks to
me as if the  equipment in the ISS is going the same way.

Now is it just that we cannot get it right, or are the parts that fail just
impossible to make work long term? I know its comparing apples with Fish,
but those Voyager craft still seem to be working in very severe
environments.

My worry is that OK, its fine in Earth orbit, as you can always come home,
but if you are on the moon, or en route to Mars when you need a spare part,
you are probably in severe risk of being dead.

In my view, one of the real  lessons that  should be being learned in the
ISS, is what can go wrong and finding ways to stop it.

Comments>? Are there any texts on this sort of thing? I seem to recall lots
of living under the sea etc, programs in the past, but you don't get
bombarded by cosmic rays and heated and cooled every 90 minutes there!

Brian

--
Brian Gaff....
graphics are great, but the blind can't hear them
Email: briang1@blueyonder.co.uk
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