size of the payload bay is also similar to that of the US shuttle which is 18.3 m long and 4.6 m in diameter. The bay is therefore large enough to accommodate, for example, a Salyut space station which is 15 m long and 4.15 m in diameter. The payload capability to LEO of the shuttle as given by the US DoD has ranged from 95 tonnes to 30 tonnes. The payload capability to LEO of the 4 strap-on booster version of the SL-W is estimated to be about 160 tonnes. Deducting the empty mass of the shuttle from this value and with some allowance for fuel of about 10 tonnes for orbital manoeuvring engines, results in a payload mass of about 90 tonnes. This confirms one of the DoD values but it results in a payload greater than the mass of the shuttle. A more realistic value would be a maximum of about 50 tonnes. (But note the possibility raised in 4.5 (c) that an approximately 90 tonne payload may in fact, be intended.) Therefore a 20 tonne Salyut/Mir space station would not fully utilize the maximum payload capability but would represent a reasonable mass for Earth return assuming the same limitations as the US vehicle.
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