Should the Space Shuttle Be Armed?

If so why? and what should it be armed with, guns, bombs, rockets, lasers etc... If you dont think it should armed why not?

what do you think would be the consequences of arming the shuttle?
also, what would need to happen for the shuttle to be armed?

Why would it be armed?
There is no feasible reason?
Not that it could pull off even the most simple maneuvers in any sort of fight.
And that single hit would most likely destroy it.
[No, not disable.]
Also, the entire 'Do not militarize' space. Thing.

There is absolutely no reason to do so.

I dont think it should be armed, wouldnt that suggest to others that we are a hostile race? Anyway with the US airforces track record of hitting targets (RIP british and canadian soldiers) i think it would be more sensible to keep it as it is

Sorry to the USA, no offence intended

The space shuttle does NOT need to be armed, nor does space, at least not anytime soon.

What purpose would it serve? the space shuttle is a transport for cargo and men, for the purpose of science and exploration not war...

the space program is one thing that regardless of nation, we can still work together for a common goal, without to many problems, lets try and not ruin that...

an armed satellite would prove more useful and I'm sure there are a few, legally or not.

Even iff there is a need to arm the Shuttles then you should have done it 20 years ago... because the airframes are aging and are nearing their safety limits within 5-10 years from now.

Best thing is not to arm space... Space is the common good off all humans here on earth and shouldent belong to our filthy weapons off mass destruction.

Peace

Not sure about the airframes haveing another 5-10 year lifespan but from what i can see they are fit only for the scrapheap here and now, this is why i believe there is no reason to arm the space shuttle, as for arming space for all we know there are very likely already satalite's with some kind of weapon's system already in orbit

Nothing. If one astronaut went Lisa Novak in space then there would a slight issue with weapons

An alternative to arming with live weapons (i.e. guns,) would to load it with airsoft or paintball... I know it sounds stupid but both of those are quite painful and incapacitate-able.

The day that we flood space with weapons will be a sad one indeed. Space is supposed to be an area that has no enforcement, no-one owns it and thus, no-one has the right to stick weapons up there.

We've ruined everything down here and I don't think we should start up there yet.

There is no need to arm the shuttles now. If something was going to attack us up there in space our technology wouldn't even put a dent in it.

The United States abstained on Monday from a United Nations resolution calling on member states to prevent an arms race in outer space. The resolution was passed by the U.N. General Assembly by a vote of 138 to 0.

www.space.com...


are you suggesting that america is going to ignore a UN resolution...

Okay, I'll go there.

Who's to say that the space shuttle is not already armed. Maybe it's loaded up with some secret satellite killer weaponry just in case we need it during a crisis and it's in the general area when all hell breaks loose. . . . .

Does any oversight agency inspect the shuttle for weaponry? Short of having UN weapons inspectors verify it, you can never rule out the possibility.

clay2 baraka, you raise a interesting point. perhaps the arming of the shuttle wouldnt be used to fight ET's but rather to defend the country that is being attacked by as you stated firing and destroying satellites of the enemy so to speak. by doing this it would limit the positioning, and information available to the enemy.

evil corgi, nope i am not really suggesting anything as you would have been able to see by my OP which stated "If so why? and what should it be armed with, guns, bombs, rockets, lasers etc... If you dont think it should armed why not? what do you think would be the consequences of arming the shuttle? also, what would need to happen for the shuttle to be armed?"
so as you can see, i was not suggesting anything but rather putting out an open ended question for the ATS community.

kaziglubey(sp?) that is an interesting outtake, perhaps if the size of the paintball was large enough it wouldn't incapacitate but rather just knock something a little bit out of orbit or out of direction, like satellites for instance.

also, what if the space shuttles were armed for sabotage. for instance this would destroy a secret space station.

Now, i am not supporting one way or the other just figured it was an interesting question.

Originally posted by clay2 baraka
Does any oversight agency inspect the shuttle for weaponry? Short of having UN weapons inspectors verify it, you can never rule out the possibility.

UN Inspector: Is that a warhead
US: Thats not a nuclear war head thats just an extra booster just in case.... (opens a hole with sharks with laserbeams on their heads... kinda like in Team America... or Austin Powers)
UN Inspector: .....

Originally posted by agent violet
clay2 baraka, you raise a interesting point. perhaps the arming of the shuttle wouldnt be used to fight ET's but rather to defend the country that is being attacked by as you stated firing and destroying satellites of the enemy so to speak. by doing this it would limit the positioning, and information available to the enemy.

evil corgi, nope i am not really suggesting anything as you would have been able to see by my OP which stated "If so why? and what should it be armed with, guns, bombs, rockets, lasers etc... If you dont think it should armed why not? what do you think would be the consequences of arming the shuttle? also, what would need to happen for the shuttle to be armed?"
so as you can see, i was not suggesting anything but rather putting out an open ended question for the ATS community.

kaziglubey(sp?) that is an interesting outtake, perhaps if the size of the paintball was large enough it wouldn't incapacitate but rather just knock something a little bit out of orbit or out of direction, like satellites for instance.

also, what if the space shuttles were armed for sabotage. for instance this would destroy a secret space station.

Now, i am not supporting one way or the other just figured it was an interesting question.

On a more serious note after my last post (sorry I just watched both of those).

The shuttle it self could be a giant bomb. I mean under all the rocket equipment and everything its got a simple detonator to blow the fuel tanks? Or convert the liquid oxygen into the flammable pure O2.?

Originally posted by slider972
There is no need to arm the shuttles now. If something was going to attack us up there in space our technology wouldn't even put a dent in it.

Man watch Independance Day!!!!

Originally posted by evilCorgi

The United States abstained on Monday from a United Nations resolution calling on member states to prevent an arms race in outer space. The resolution was passed by the U.N. General Assembly by a vote of 138 to 0.

www.space.com...


are you suggesting that america is going to ignore a UN resolution...

Of coarse not.... why would we.... We would just not attend this way we "never knew about it" like cutting class to get out of work.

if america decides that it doesnt like something in space it is much more plausible that they would use an ASAT missile than going to the effort of putting weapons on ageing shuttles that are not going to be in service for much longer.

logical if they wanted armed space craft they would implement such tings in the shuttles replacement.

as America can already blow up anything they want in space or otherwise it probably not likely to happen in the near future.

[edit on 20/8/07 by evilCorgi]

Originally posted by evilCorgi
if america decides that it doesnt like something in space it is much more plausible that they would use an ASAT missile than going to the effort of putting weapons on ageing shuttles that are not going to be in service for much longer.

logical if they wanted armed space craft they would implement such tings in the shuttles replacement.

as America can already blow up anything they want in space or otherwise it probably not likely to happen in the near future.

[edit on 20/8/07 by evilCorgi]

Unless its installed with out us knowing already....

"Should the Space Shuttle be armed?"

Wow.

IMO, if this isn't a great fishing expedition
for points, I've never seen one.

The Shuttle. Armed.

It's a dice-roll every time it's launched.

And, you want to know if it should be
armed.

Sad, sad day.
Lex

In three years the shuttle is history, if it's not already armed there is no point in trying to upgrade.

The next generation of launch vehicles should consider it though.

All thru the last century the North and South poles were considered neutral ground. No one owned them. Now Russia has claimed all of the North pole as it's own. Canada is having a bit of a fit and everyone else is taking notice.

It's only a matter of time before the same thing happens to space.

wupy