Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site alice.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!harpo!eagle!allegra!alice!alb From: alb@alice.UUCP (Adam L. Buchsbaum) Newsgroups: net.space Subject: Re: Retrieving Westar/Palapa Message-ID: <2599@alice.UUCP> Date: Fri, 10-Feb-84 14:38:55 EST Article-I.D.: alice.2599 Posted: Fri Feb 10 14:38:55 1984 Date-Received: Sat, 11-Feb-84 08:41:20 EST References: <5539@decwrl.UUCP> Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill Lines: 9 There are two reasons why the satellites cannot be retrieved. (1) They do not have grappling hooks, i.e. the RMS can't grab them. Why not? They were designed to fly at 22,000 miles, where they wouldn't have been able to be retrieved anyway. (2) They are too unstable rotationally. As for rendezvousing with one of them, NASA said that would use up too much fuel.