Just to add - another use of the shuttle booster tanks - and same also for any of our crewed launches to orbit - is as a counterweight for artificial gravity. Joe Carroll proposed this originally for the space shuttle.
It could also be used for the Soyuz TMA or for SpaceX Dragon when ready or any other crewed mission to orbit.
Idea is you tether the two together and during the few days phasing on the way to the ISS you can do preliminary tests of artificial gravity. (I know that the Soyuz now goes to the ISS more quickly, but it reverts to the earlier multiple day scenario if necessary, and has done that a couple of times or so, so still has the capability).
Then you release the tether, at the right moment in the spin and orbit, and it gives you a controlled de-orbit of third stage into the Pacific and boost of the crewed section towards the ISS recovering all the fuel used to spin it up for the test.
So you end up using almost no fuel for the experiment as all the fuel used to spin up is recovered when the tether is cut to end the experiment.
And even if the tether is broken by mistake at wrong point in the spin, so it de-orbits you instead of the final stage - you have plenty of reserves normally for the flight so could recover from that also (not likely to happen though, they've now got tethers that can survive years without damage).
So - you'd check you haven't used up all your safety fuel reserves after you get to orbit. If you haven't, you keep it tethered and spin up. If you have, you cut the tether right away and skip that experiment.
Crew Tether Spin - With Final Stage - On Routine Mission To ISS - First Human Test Of Artificial Gravity?
This boosts it into orbit, but only temporarily, until you cut the tether. It's a very low orbit so still with significant drag on timescales of months, but well above the normal height for a third stage, so you can do several days there no problem at all.
As for converting the fuel tanks into space station components, it's rather like Von Braun's original Wet workshop idea for skylab.
More details here, where equipment that couldn't survive being immersed in liquid hydrogen is added later after the rocket fuel is purged
At Home in Space
It seems something that could be worth investigating but don't think anyone did in case of the Space Shuttle boosters.
It could also be used for the Soyuz TMA or for SpaceX Dragon when ready or any other crewed mission to orbit.
Idea is you tether the two together and during the few days phasing on the way to the ISS you can do preliminary tests of artificial gravity. (I know that the Soyuz now goes to the ISS more quickly, but it reverts to the earlier multiple day scenario if necessary, and has done that a couple of times or so, so still has the capability).
Then you release the tether, at the right moment in the spin and orbit, and it gives you a controlled de-orbit of third stage into the Pacific and boost of the crewed section towards the ISS recovering all the fuel used to spin it up for the test.
So you end up using almost no fuel for the experiment as all the fuel used to spin up is recovered when the tether is cut to end the experiment.
And even if the tether is broken by mistake at wrong point in the spin, so it de-orbits you instead of the final stage - you have plenty of reserves normally for the flight so could recover from that also (not likely to happen though, they've now got tethers that can survive years without damage).
So - you'd check you haven't used up all your safety fuel reserves after you get to orbit. If you haven't, you keep it tethered and spin up. If you have, you cut the tether right away and skip that experiment.
Crew Tether Spin - With Final Stage - On Routine Mission To ISS - First Human Test Of Artificial Gravity?
This boosts it into orbit, but only temporarily, until you cut the tether. It's a very low orbit so still with significant drag on timescales of months, but well above the normal height for a third stage, so you can do several days there no problem at all.
As for converting the fuel tanks into space station components, it's rather like Von Braun's original Wet workshop idea for skylab.
More details here, where equipment that couldn't survive being immersed in liquid hydrogen is added later after the rocket fuel is purged
At Home in Space
It seems something that could be worth investigating but don't think anyone did in case of the Space Shuttle boosters.
About the Author
Robert Walker
Writer of articles on Mars and Space issues - Software Developer of Tune Smithy, Bounce Metronome etc.Studied at Wolfson College, Oxford
Lives in Isle of Mull
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