Editing 787: Orbiter

{{comic
| number    = 787
| date      = September 1, 2010
| title     = Orbiter
| image     = orbiter.png
| titletext = Normally, the Shuttle can't quite safely reach the orbital inclination required to pass over both those points from a Canaveral launch, but this is an alternate history in which either it launches from Vandenburg or everyone hates the Outer Banks.
}}

==Explanation==
This comic is about disputed territories and {{w|Polar orbit|polar orbits}}.

The two disputes referred to here are the {{w|Israeli–Palestinian conflict|Israeli-Palestinian dispute}} and the {{w|Greer County, Texas|Texas-Oklahoma dispute}}. The satellite would probably require a polar orbit to reach both Palestine and Oklahoma, which cannot be achieved from a launch at {{w|Kennedy Space Center|Cape Caneveral}}, as the launch trajectories would cause debris and spent fuel tanks from the Shuttle during its ascent to fall in heavily populated areas.

The reason the {{w|Vandenberg Air Force Base|Vandenburg}} option is an alternate history is because there actually were plans to launch shuttles from there before the {{w|Space Shuttle Challenger disaster|Challenger accident}} occurred. After Challenger was lost the polar orbiting missions were scrapped and Cape Canaveral became the sole launch site for the {{w|Space Shuttle|Space Shuttle}}.

In the alternate history, mentioned in the title text, the rules forbidding orbital launches from Caneveral to that polar inclination don’t exist, either because nobody cares what happens to the {{w|Outer Banks}} (which would be in the flight path) or nobody likes them and they’re deserted. The entire reason for this even being pointed out is just [[Randall]]'s being obsessive-compulsive.

==Transcript==
:Cueball: Okay, people. The orbiter is passing south of Iceland. The next scheduled check-in will be at 32.0N 35.5E, over the Palestinian territories.
:Off-screen character: You mean over Palestine?
:Frank (off-screen): You mean over Israel?
:[Beat panel.]
:Cueball: I've rescheduled the check-in for 35.2N 96.6W,over Oklahoma.
:Frank (off-screen): You mean occupied North Texas?
:Cueball: Dammit, Frank.
{{comic discussion}}
[[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]