Re:Soviet Cosmonauts Carried a Shotgun into Space
by PaulHoule on Tuesday February 03, 2015 @05:57PM
(#8994094)
I think their program has always been more militarized than ours. For instance, prior to 1980 they launched space stations with attached machine guns; later they developed a space launch system that visually looks much like the space shuttle and planned to launch a prototype Deathstar with a 1-megawatt laser.
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Re:Soviet Cosmonauts Carried a Shotgun into Space
by andrewliebchen on Tuesday February 03, 2015 @11:03PM
(#8995236)
The Space Shuttle's cargo bay was the size it was so it could carry military satellites to orbit. Vandenberg Air Force Base was going to be a west coast launch site for the shuttle, and it seems as though every astronaut use to be a Navy pilot. Our program was plenty "militarized."
Re:Soviet Cosmonauts Carried a Shotgun into Space
by colechristensen on Wednesday February 04, 2015 @07:12AM
(#8996414)
At least 11 space shuttle missions had classified payloads, it's reasonable to believe most of these were spy satellites.
http://www.airspacemag.com/space/secret-space-shuttles-35318...
Re:Soviet Cosmonauts Carried a Shotgun into Space
by saiya-jin on Wednesday February 04, 2015 @04:59AM
(#8996056)
in case you didn't notice, it was cold WAR during that era :)
also, US had this tiny little program called STAR WARS... but please continue with your personal impressions, they seem trippy enough to be fun to read