Something that has puzzled me is seeing the Shuttle launch an ISS supply mission with a half-empty bay such as this. If you're going to spend upwards of a billion USD to launch a shuttle, why not design the cargo module to fill up the majority of the bay? This dinky thing is only 14 tons by weight and occupies only half the allotted volume. The shuttle has a 25 ton cargo capacity, so why barely load it above half that?
EDIT: Heaviest ISS section carried by a shuttle was around 18 tons, so I'll be using this figure from now on.
Also doesn't having the module that far back put the Shuttle's center of gravity dangerously far behind the center of lift? If they had to land with that module still in the bay, wouldn't that pose a risk if they made an emergency landing?
Any answers would be appreciated.
