bjax@grissom.larc.nasa.gov ( Bruce Jackson) (06/09/91)
Anybody know the origins, purpose, and capabilities of the "skid strip"
(NOT the shuttle landing facility!) at the Cape? We're considering a
lifting body vehicle that might need to abort to a runway closer to the
launch pads than the shuttle landing runway.
Also, anyone know why the shuttle runway was built roughly 90 degrees to
the prevailing breeze? What are the comparable costs between a runway
aligned properly, and a shuttle destroyed in a landing accident due to
extreme crosswind conditions?
--
Bruce Jackson <bjax@grissom.larc.nasa.gov> NASA Langley Research Center
MS 489, Hampton, VA 23665 (804) 864-4060jabishop@uokmax.ecn.uoknor.edu (Jonathan A Bishop) (06/10/91)
bjax@grissom.larc.nasa.gov ( Bruce Jackson) writes: >Anybody know the origins, purpose, and capabilities of the "skid strip" >(NOT the shuttle landing facility!) at the Cape? We're considering a >lifting body vehicle that might need to abort to a runway closer to the >launch pads than the shuttle landing runway. I dimly remember reading a story about this. As I recall, the people at the Cape wanted a runway, but were denied funding. Someone suggested that they should instead ask for a "skid strip" for landing missiles. I seem to remember that they were Bomarcs, but I can't really see why you would want to land a Bomarc. Anyway, the point was that this "skid strip" (wink, wink, nudge, nudge) was actually just an excuse for building a runway. (I just had another thought: I think funding for the strip was denied because highers-up told them that Canaveral A.F.S. was close enough.) -------- jabishop@uokmax.ecn.uoknor.edu "I'm with you, LEM, though it's a shame that it had to be you. The mother ship is just a blip from your train made for two. I'm with you, boys, so please employ just a little extra care. It's on my mind, I'm left behind when I should have been there." --Jethro Tull, "For Michael Collins, Jeffrey, and Me"
sw@cbnewsl.att.com (Stuart Warmink) (06/10/91)
In article <1991Jun9.204942.6293@uokmax.ecn.uoknor.edu>, jabishop@uokmax.ecn.uoknor.edu (Jonathan A Bishop) writes: > I dimly remember reading a story about this. As I recall, the people > at the Cape wanted a runway, but were denied funding. Someone suggested > that they should instead ask for a "skid strip" for landing missiles. > I seem to remember that they were Bomarcs, [...] Wasn't there such a thing as a "Snark" too? Big, pre-ICBM intercontinental unmanned "bomber" - I think they were to land on the skid strip. Many problems, leading to the quip "Snark infested waters". -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Stuart Warmink, Whippany, NJ, USA | sw@cbnewsl.ATT.COM | Hi! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------