Come on why!?

[gyrene81]

Cause fuel is not free.  Not mention they would need to aim it at the sun and use some kind of a booster to send it that way.  Easier and cheaper to just let it (or parts of it) fall into the ocean.

it won't just "fall" into the earth's atmosphere. obviously you didn't read the article, it's a disposable vehicle, whatever main engine fuel that isn't used for space missions is used for accelerated re-entry and destroyed with the vehicle and the garbage it contains. that fuel could be used to set a trajectory toward the sun instead.

[F22RaptorDude]

it won't just "fall" into the earth's atmosphere. obviously you didn't read the article, it's a disposable vehicle, whatever main engine fuel that isn't used for space missions is used for accelerated re-entry and destroyed with the vehicle and the garbage it contains. that fuel could be used to set a trajectory toward the sun instead.

The booster would require more fuel then it can carry to get it out of earths Gravity field which is fairly strong and wide. Either way it would fall back to earth eventually with no fuel to aim it or however they aim them towards the ocean.

[M0nkey_Man]

Dreaming to be in the Air force is enough for me

[Tyrannis]

it won't just "fall" into the earth's atmosphere. obviously you didn't read the article, it's a disposable vehicle, whatever main engine fuel that isn't used for space missions is used for accelerated re-entry and destroyed with the vehicle and the garbage it contains. that fuel could be used to set a trajectory toward the sun instead.

you need to take in the distance from earth to the sun.
the time of the year.
and the alignment of the planets.

dont forget there are 2 planets in between the earth&the sun.
and if you send send it at the sun, its likely it could slam into one of those 2 planets instead. and we dont want to start littering other planets.
so boosters would be needed to steer it to the sun, a trip from earth to the sun is ALOT longer than a trip from earth to the moon. it would need constant supervision as well on its trip to make sure it didnt get sucked into venus or mercurys gravitational pull on its journey. which would take up extra manpower to supervise it.

or, you can send it back to earth, destroy it here, or maybe even recycle parts.
which sounds like the easiest of the two to do?

[Yossarian]

it won't just "fall" into the earth's atmosphere. obviously you didn't read the article, it's a disposable vehicle, whatever main engine fuel that isn't used for space missions is used for accelerated re-entry and destroyed with the vehicle and the garbage it contains. that fuel could be used to set a trajectory toward the sun instead.

The ATV is currently moving at about 8 km/s.  The escape velocity of the Earth is about 11 km/s.  So you'd need enough fuel to increase the ATV's velocity by about 3 km/s to get it out of Earth's gravitational field.  And then you'd need some more fuel to put it on a path which a few years later would take it into the Sun.  By contrast, you need to decrease it's velocity by about 70 m/s for it to reenter a few hours later.

And if you were really, really determined to chuck it into the Sun, you'd need to launch another rocket carrying an upper stage, which would then rendezvous with the ATV and take it away.

dont forget there are 2 planets in between the earth&the sun.
and if you send send it at the sun, its likely it could slam into one of those 2 planets instead. and we dont want to start littering other planets.
so boosters would be needed to steer it to the sun, a trip from earth to the sun is ALOT longer than a trip from earth to the moon. it would need constant supervision as well on its trip to make sure it didnt get sucked into venus or mercurys gravitational pull on its journey. which would take up extra manpower to supervise it.

or, you can send it back to earth, destroy it here, or maybe even recycle parts.
which sounds like the easiest of the two to do?

Space is a very, very, very, very big place, and planets are very, very small compared to it   The chances of you smacking into another planet are probably near to zero, if you left orbit at a random time.  Also, once you'd set it on it's final course, you wouldn't need to keep an eye on it at all - the Sun's gravity will do that for you.  Not much of the ATV will survive to the Earth's surface - there's one part with some instruments that will hit the ocean, but that'll just sink.  Same goes for the thrusters, since they're meant to withstand high temperatures anyway.  So anything that does survive will be in an unknown location at the bottom of the Pacific...not exactly the easiest stuff to find

[Dragon]

you need to take in the distance from earth to the sun.
the time of the year.
and the alignment of the planets.

dont forget there are 2 planets in between the earth&the sun.
and if you send send it at the sun, its likely it could slam into one of those 2 planets instead. and we dont want to start littering other planets.
so boosters would be needed to steer it to the sun, a trip from earth to the sun is ALOT longer than a trip from earth to the moon. it would need constant supervision as well on its trip to make sure it didnt get sucked into venus or mercurys gravitational pull on its journey. which would take up extra manpower to supervise it.

Actually, Mercury has no gravity.  That is why it has no atmosphere.

[RTHolmes]

^

[dedalos]

it won't just "fall" into the earth's atmosphere. obviously you didn't read the article, it's a disposable vehicle, whatever main engine fuel that isn't used for space missions is used for accelerated re-entry and destroyed with the vehicle and the garbage it contains. that fuel could be used to set a trajectory toward the sun instead.

Did I say fall in the earths atmosphere?  Instead of worrying about me reading an article try reading a couple of lines in a post.  As the kid explained to you, not only it would need more fuel it would also need an engine (adding to take off weight, which would add to fuel costs).  An for what reason?  It breaks up in the atmosphere and what ever is left falls in the ocean.  As you said, it was silly question 

[dedalos]

Actually, Mercury has no gravity.  That is why it has no atmosphere.

The girls must be hot there since they could never gain weight 

[grizz441]

Actually, Mercury has no gravity.  That is why it has no atmosphere.

Everything has gravity.  The reason Mercury does not have an atmosphere is because the gravity is too weak to retain one.

[kilo2]

Everything has gravity.  The reason Mercury does not have an atmosphere is because the gravity is too weak to retain one.

That and how close it is too the sun.

[grizz441]

That and how close it is too the sun.

Well yeah, that too. 

[Dragon]

Everything has gravity.  The reason Mercury does not have an atmosphere is because the gravity is too weak to retain one.

OK, so it's not completely without suckage, but at least it has less suckage than I do.  Maybe.   

[fbEagle]

Really theres nothing left 4 the space shuttle to do other than go back and forth to the ISS. We've been to the moon already. We cant just go anywhere for no aparent reason.

[Yossarian]

Really theres nothing left 4 the space shuttle to do other than go back and forth to the ISS. We've been to the moon already. We cant just go anywhere for no aparent reason.

There's a lot more to do on the Moon than what we've done there already.  A colony at some point in the future would be a good idea.