I'm wondering, even if ISS becomes obsolete from old modules that are not safe, can't we still use the parts of it that are still in good condition? Not all the modules are the same age. Some might still have years of use left in them. There's the cranes and robotic arms. The solar panels. The multiple docking systems. etc etc. All of this was assembled, so maybe some of it can be de-assembled? Modules decoupled and used on some of the newer space stations launching in the next few years? And even if that isn't feasible right now it might be in 5 or 10 or more years. Why not leave it up there for decades unmanned as a hardware resource? ER and I had a conversation about this a while back, but that was more about boosting it to a potential earth-moon Lagrange salvage yard. ISS has boosters to keep it in LEO even if it is unmanned. Make it fucking so!
Space/Science » in reply to Space Station infrastructure
More on using ISS
The whole thread (35 posts)
- NASA's Moon Base User’s Guide
- Corrosion?
- The abandoning of the Lunar Gateway station was effectively spitting in the face of our European partners
- Mixed feelings
- No space station?