[Psionics] The Spice Must Flow... from Skylab

[Prince Charon]

Originally Posted by TGLS

I don't know how likely ending up in with Big Gemini is, especially if it ends up a stopgap. By my estimation, a more probable stopgap is going to be Gemini Ferry, possibly with a cut hatch in the bottom. Given that historically Gemini craft were reused, you might see them actually try it again but manned this time.

Big Gemini is something they're researching, which will be scaled down (though scaling it down is not currently the plan for either NASA or McDonnell Douglas; reality still bites, even in a world where psychic powers are real). Think of it as a compromise between Big G and G-Ferry.

Originally Posted by TGLS

If killing the shuttle is the goal,

It isn't, they just really need to continue manned spaceflight, preferably with something cheaper than Apollo (because discovering the Spice and then not having access to it for several years, during which the Soviets might discover it and do have an ongoing space station program, is completely unacceptable to the people in charge in the USA). This will delay the shuttle and alter the design, though.

Originally Posted by TGLS

Of course, the difficulty would lie in getting the money to restart Gemini or what have you. Almaz had been running at the time, and you have two (perhaps cobbled together) satellites that were failures crashing down. You could have the CIA or the Air Force lie to Congress and say that their new sophisticated spy satellite can't function for some reason and they need bodies in space to operate it (I'm sure this could be kept relatively secret).

The current plan is that a few sufficiently-important Congresscritters are read in on the Spice, once the CIA has found enough that they think can be trusted not to blab, and to agree that it's needed (see November 5, above). These Congresscritters will use their influence to convince enough other senators and representatives to get the budget passed. The Congresscritters who don't get read in might be given that as an excuse, though.

Originally Posted by TGLS

If things get real desperate, you could have them use the Skylab Rescue Apollo (perhaps to boost Skylab into a higher orbit if it comes to it).

The re-entry capsule for Skylab Rescue Apollo might be added to the station as an escape pod. It's something I've been considering since I found out it existed while reading up on Skylab for this worldline.