That's one capability that was lost with the space shuttle. There's nothing remaining nor planned that can bring something that size back from LEO.
I feel like materials science could learn a lot more about radiation embrittlement and high energy micro impacts.
The space shuttle is often regarded as a huge mistake and in many ways (reusability especially, it was more like rebuildability :) ) it was, but it was still hell of a machine.
The X-37 is tiny, it’s only 5 tonnes itself. But one of the uses is probably to bring back smaller satellites to determine how long term exposure in space has affected them.
Yeah the cool thing about the shuttle is that it also was a mini space station. Astronauts could actually live in it for a while. Which came in handy building the ISS I'm sure. Robotics weren't what they are now so it was a lot of hand work.
I feel like materials science could learn a lot more about radiation embrittlement and high energy micro impacts.
The space shuttle is often regarded as a huge mistake and in many ways (reusability especially, it was more like rebuildability :) ) it was, but it was still hell of a machine.