As said in the title.
Since 2008 I'm working on an alternative history / technothriller where the Shuttle get killed by "Cap the knife" Weinberger OMB in October 1971. Only three months short of its OTL approval by Nixon on January 5, 1972.
It is replaced by the following package
- 7 Saturn IB left by Apollo, uprated (boosters 209, 211, 212, 213, 214, 215, 216 - completed if needed)
- 2 Saturn V (Skylab B is axed as per OTL)
- The Saturn V boosters are used to launch a pair of 33 ft wide space station cores - essentially the dry workshop / Skylab treatment applied to the S-II
- the Saturn IBs launching Skylab look-alike S-IV dry workshops although much lighter.
- Titan III-M for crews
- after a ferocious bidding war, Big Gemini kicks a Block III Apollo (with Corona, X-24, HL-10 and X-37-lookalike alternatives)
- Agena in the role of a US FGB space tug to ferry and dock the modules automatically (see Mir "how to build a modular station without a Shuttle)
- Agena is also used as a cargo vehicle (ATV !) through ESA
- the Block III Apollo become the station lifeboat (also ESA)
The station core launch on November 14, 1979 then four S-IVB modules follow on the days (and names) OTL Shuttles launched (April 12, 1981: Columbia module, and on, and on).
Can't say much more without ruining the party. If anybody is interested, please drop me an e-mail in my forum box.
I'm looking for
- discussion
- proof reading because english is not my native language
- any advice to get that thing published... someday.
Since 2008 I'm working on an alternative history / technothriller where the Shuttle get killed by "Cap the knife" Weinberger OMB in October 1971. Only three months short of its OTL approval by Nixon on January 5, 1972.
It is replaced by the following package
- 7 Saturn IB left by Apollo, uprated (boosters 209, 211, 212, 213, 214, 215, 216 - completed if needed)
- 2 Saturn V (Skylab B is axed as per OTL)
- The Saturn V boosters are used to launch a pair of 33 ft wide space station cores - essentially the dry workshop / Skylab treatment applied to the S-II
- the Saturn IBs launching Skylab look-alike S-IV dry workshops although much lighter.
- Titan III-M for crews
- after a ferocious bidding war, Big Gemini kicks a Block III Apollo (with Corona, X-24, HL-10 and X-37-lookalike alternatives)
- Agena in the role of a US FGB space tug to ferry and dock the modules automatically (see Mir "how to build a modular station without a Shuttle)
- Agena is also used as a cargo vehicle (ATV !) through ESA
- the Block III Apollo become the station lifeboat (also ESA)
The station core launch on November 14, 1979 then four S-IVB modules follow on the days (and names) OTL Shuttles launched (April 12, 1981: Columbia module, and on, and on).
Can't say much more without ruining the party. If anybody is interested, please drop me an e-mail in my forum box.
I'm looking for
- discussion
- proof reading because english is not my native language
- any advice to get that thing published... someday.