Boosters on the Boosters & Other Ideas For Improving Space Shuttles

The Space Shuttle began development in the 1970's and even before it flew for the first time engineers were developing new ideas to 'improve' the Space Shuttle hardware. Expanding its cargo envelope by putting payloads on the external tank, 'hammerhead' & 'lenticular' fairings, getting rid of the crew section, adding a massive passenger section and of course going full Xzibit and adding mini boosters to the regular boosters.

Most of these pictures come from a review paper published in 2004, after the Columbia disaster, but before Constellation was decided upon.
Shuttle Variations And Derivatives That Never Happened - An Historical Review
Carl F. Ehrlich, Jr. & James A. Martin

Видео Boosters on the Boosters & Other Ideas For Improving Space Shuttles канала Scott Manley