mikemr@microsoft.UUCP (Michael MRAZ) (05/07/91)
I just listened to the de-orbit and landing of Discovery STS-39. The speed at which things happen during this phase of the flight really never hit me until I had the pleasure of hearing the whole sequence from de-orbit burn to touchdown. Unbelievable. What really drove home the point was when, about 30 minutes before touchdown, the NASA announcer said that Discovery was just crossing the Canadian border near Vancouver, BC. Then, less than 15 minutes later, "Discovery just crossed the Florida coast near Tallahassee, altitude 98,000 feet, velocity..." That must be one hell of a ride!
pjs@euclid.jpl.nasa.gov (Peter Scott) (05/13/91)
In article <72189@microsoft.UUCP>, mikemr@microsoft.UUCP (Michael MRAZ) writes: > I just listened to the de-orbit and landing of Discovery > STS-39. The speed at which things happen during this > phase of the flight really never hit me until I had the > pleasure of hearing the whole sequence from de-orbit burn > to touchdown. Unbelievable. What really drove home the point > was when, about 30 minutes before touchdown, the NASA announcer > said that Discovery was just crossing the Canadian border near > Vancouver, BC. Then, less than 15 minutes later, "Discovery just > crossed the Florida coast near Tallahassee, altitude 98,000 feet, > velocity..." That must be one hell of a ride! Yup. I've watched landings from the observation room of the SFOF (Space Flight Operations Facility) here, which covers them if it has nothing better to do, and one of the displays carried a map showing the shuttle ground track as a lengthening path. Watching that line zip across the Pacific while they called off the distance to threshold gave me the same reaction. -- This is news. This is your | Peter Scott, NASA/JPL/Caltech brain on news. Any questions? | (pjs@euclid.jpl.nasa.gov)
scanman@alchemy.UUCP (Marshal Perlman) (05/14/91)
You seem to know much re; the shuttle..I have 1 question.. How often do the SHUTTLE STATS come out/ Thanks Marshal Perlman Intergalactic Mail: Zenoz-7-Rylos-3-Kilo Other: scanman@alchemy.uucp
rambler@pnet51.orb.mn.org (Dan Meyer) (05/14/91)
mikemr@microsoft.UUCP (Michael MRAZ) writes: >I just listened to the de-orbit and landing of Discovery >STS-39. The speed at which things happen during this >phase of the flight really never hit me until I had the >pleasure of hearing the whole sequence from de-orbit burn >to touchdown. Unbelievable. What really drove home the point >was when, about 30 minutes before touchdown, the NASA announcer >said that Discovery was just crossing the Canadian border near >Vancouver, BC. Then, less than 15 minutes later, "Discovery just >crossed the Florida coast near Tallahassee, altitude 98,000 feet, >velocity..." That must be one hell of a ride! The other thing to listen to during descent is both the forward velocity and the _downward_ velocity. If my estimates are correct, the shuttle drops at more than 300 Miles Per Hour! your right, it must be one hell of a ride! -- Dan Remember: " Buffalo never Oink " Seen on a South Dakota travel brocure. Advertisment: Try the Railway Post Office , a railfan BBS ! (612) 377-2197. UUCP: {crash tcnet}!orbit!pnet51!rambler INET: rambler@pnet51.orb.mn.org
rambler@pnet51.orb.mn.org (Dan Meyer) (05/14/91)
mikemr@microsoft.UUCP (Michael MRAZ) writes: >I just listened to the de-orbit and landing of Discovery >STS-39. The speed at which things happen during this >phase of the flight really never hit me until I had the >pleasure of hearing the whole sequence from de-orbit burn >to touchdown. Unbelievable. What really drove home the point >was when, about 30 minutes before touchdown, the NASA announcer >said that Discovery was just crossing the Canadian border near >Vancouver, BC. Then, less than 15 minutes later, "Discovery just >crossed the Florida coast near Tallahassee, altitude 98,000 feet, >velocity..." That must be one hell of a ride! Something else to look for; the forward and vertical velocity; the shuttle achieves vertical velicities in excess of 250 MPH ! (yes, Miles Per Hour!) -- Dan Meyer Remember: " Buffalo never Oink " Seen on a South Dakota travel brocure. Advertisment: Try the Railway Post Office , a railfan BBS ! (612) 377-2197. UUCP: {crash tcnet}!orbit!pnet51!rambler INET: rambler@pnet51.orb.mn.org
rich@locus.com (Rich (the Wiz) Silva) (05/16/91)
In article <4905@orbit.cts.com> rambler@pnet51.orb.mn.org (Dan Meyer) writes: >mikemr@microsoft.UUCP (Michael MRAZ) writes: > > >The other thing to listen to during descent is both the forward velocity and >the _downward_ velocity. If my estimates are correct, the shuttle drops at >more than 300 Miles Per Hour! > >your right, it must be one hell of a ride! > You should see a landing in person to really experience this... even after making an energy loosing turn, the shuttle comes down like a rock. Only very near landing (seconds away) is there any "flare out" (I think that's the term) at all... First time I saw it, I was sure it was going to "prang". Rich -- Rich Silva Locus Computing Corporation rich@LOCUS.COM {ucivax,trwrb}!lcc!rich {randvax,ucbvax,trwspp}!ucla-se!lcc!rich
kas@hpcvia.CV.HP.COM (ken_scofield) (05/16/91)
From: rambler@pnet51.orb.mn.org (Dan Meyer) Message-ID: <4906@orbit.cts.com> >Something else to look for; the forward and vertical velocity; the shuttle >achieves vertical velicities in excess of 250 MPH ! (yes, Miles Per Hour!) > >-- Dan Meyer I don't doubt that you're right, but remember that the vertical rate is a function of air density. The shuttle is basically a brick with wings, and as such the 'terminal velocity' decreases as the shuttle enters denser air. It's been awhile since I've watched a shuttle landing on TV, but I remember one commentator saying that the vertical descent rate is something like 120mph just prior to the final flare. This may not seem as dramatic as your 250mph number, but remember that the flare doesn't begin until the shuttle is very near the ground. Talk about 'ground rush'! We skydiving types are accustomed to falling at 120mph, but we decelerate at the 2000-3000 ft level, before the 'ground rush' effect becomes noticable. I can only imagine what it must be like to see the ground coming at me at 120mph at 200 ft... >shudder< Ken Scofield C-9355 SSI #453890085 ^ Hewlett-Packard, ICO Phone: (503)750-2426 |----/-\----| 1020 NE Circle Blvd. (kas@hpcvia.CV.HP.COM) | Gone | Corvallis, OR 97330 (ucbvax!hplabs!hp-pcd!kas) | Divin' or | | Jumpin' | Cute Disclaimer: Nobody ever listened to me before, |-----------| so why start now?
kerry@Ingres.COM (Kerry Kurasaki) (05/16/91)
In article <72189@microsoft.UUCP> mikemr@microsoft.UUCP (Michael MRAZ) writes: >I just listened to the de-orbit and landing of Discovery >STS-39. The speed at which things happen during this >phase of the flight really never hit me until I had the >pleasure of hearing the whole sequence from de-orbit burn >to touchdown. Unbelievable. What really drove home the point >was when, about 30 minutes before touchdown, the NASA announcer >said that Discovery was just crossing the Canadian border near >Vancouver, BC. Then, less than 15 minutes later, "Discovery just >crossed the Florida coast near Tallahassee, altitude 98,000 feet, >velocity..." That must be one hell of a ride! Try doing a "Shuttle-1" approach. With something of a 15 degree glideslope, the shuttle is supposed to fly like a rock! :-) I computed 15 degrees to be something like 2000 FPM descent at 80 knots. I once went up in an arrow, dropped gear and full flaps, and nosed it over until I got the above. Needless to say, the view was, ahem, rather spectacular. Actually, I don't care to try it at 300 knots! Kerry
raveling@Unify.com (Paul Raveling) (05/17/91)
In article <4905@orbit.cts.com>, rambler@pnet51.orb.mn.org (Dan Meyer) writes: > mikemr@microsoft.UUCP (Michael MRAZ) writes: > >..., less than 15 minutes later, "Discovery just > >crossed the Florida coast near Tallahassee, altitude 98,000 feet, > >velocity..." That must be one hell of a ride! > > > The other thing to listen to during descent is both the forward velocity and > the _downward_ velocity. If my estimates are correct, the shuttle drops at > more than 300 Miles Per Hour! At least In that final part of the flight it's not quite so dramatic. My recollection is that final approach speed is about 300 knots (will vary a bit depending on weight) with a 17-degree glideslope. This would put its vertical velocity on final approach somewhere around a "mere" 90 knots before it flares. > your right, it must be one hell of a ride! Amen! ------------------ Paul Raveling Raveling@Unify.com
shafer@skipper.dfrf.nasa.gov (Mary Shafer) (05/17/91)
In article <1991May15.230703.5023@Ingres.COM> kerry@Ingres.COM (Kerry Kurasaki) writes: >Try doing a "Shuttle-1" approach. With something of a 15 degree glideslope, >the shuttle is supposed to fly like a rock! :-) >I computed 15 degrees to be something like 2000 FPM descent at 80 >knots. I once went up in an arrow, dropped gear and full flaps, and nosed >it over until I got the above. Needless to say, the view was, ahem, >rather spectacular. Actually, I don't care to try it at 300 knots! I did a lifting body approach in the backseat of an F-104, with a glideslope of about 25 deg. You really feel like you're pointed straight down at the ground. You hang in the straps and hope the pilot's paying attention, since you're going about 250 kt. The flare feels really good! -- Mary Shafer shafer@skipper.dfrf.nasa.gov ames!skipper.dfrf.nasa.gov!shafer NASA Ames Dryden Flight Research Facility, Edwards, CA Of course I don't speak for NASA "Turn to kill, not to engage." CDR Willie Driscoll
philipr@otc.otca.oz (Philip Ryan) (05/20/91)
(Mary Shafer) writes: > > I did a lifting body approach in the backseat of an F-104, with a > glideslope of about 25 deg. You really feel like you're pointed > straight down at the ground. You hang in the straps and hope the > pilot's paying attention, since you're going about 250 kt. The > flare feels really good! > And boy am I jealous.... Philip Ryan ACSnet: philipr@otc.otca.oz Satellites and IC Research UUCP: {uunet,mcvax}!otc.otca.oz!philipr Transmission R&D Mail: GPO Box 7000, Sydney 2001, Australia |||| OTC ||