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The orbiter's maximum glide ratio/lift-to-drag ratio varies considerably with speed, ranging from 1:1 at hypersonic speeds, 2:1 at supersonic speeds and reaching 4.5:1 at subsonic speeds during approach and landing.[49]
In the lower atmosphere, the orbiter flies much like a conventional glider, except for a much higher descent rate, over 50 m/s (180 km/h; 110 mph). At approximately Mach 3, two air data probes, located on the left and right sides of the orbiter's forward lower fuselage, are deployed to sense air pressure related to the vehicle's movement in the atmosphere.
When the approach and landing phase begins, the orbiter is at a 3,000 m (9,800 ft) altitude, 12 km (7.5 mi) from the runway. The pilots apply aerodynamic braking to help slow down the vehicle. The orbiter's speed is reduced from 682 to 346 km/h (424 to 215 mph), approximately, at touch-down (compared to 260 km/h (160 mph) for a jet airliner). The landing gear is deployed while the Orbiter is flying at 430 km/h (270 mph). To assist the speed brakes, a 12 m (39 ft) drag chute is deployed either after main gear or nose gear touchdown (depending on selected chute deploy mode) at about 343 km/h (213 mph). The chute is jettisoned once the orbiter slows to 110 km/h (68.4 mph).
After landing, the vehicle stands on the runway for several minutes to permit the fumes from poisonous hydrazine (which is used as a fuel for attitude control, and the orbiter's three APUs) to dissipate, and for the shuttle fuselage to cool before the astronauts disembark.
Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center Virginia
This tool, and several like it, were used during payload transfers at the pad. They were used to measure distances between the hooks that support the payload while it is in the Payload Chageout Room (PCR) and the large pins mounted to each payload that the payload bay latches grab on to.
A memorial to the crew of the Space Shuttle Columbia who died during STS-107, , the 113th flight of the Space Shuttle program.
Commander - Rick D. Husband
Pilot - William C. McCool
Mission Specialist - David M. Brown
Mission Specialist - Kalpana Chawla
Mission Specialist - Laurel B. Clark
Payload Commander - Michael P. Anderson
Payload Specialist - Ilan Ramon
November 1985 plan for space shuttle flights Mission 61F (STS-35) through 61N (STS-40), including Mission 62A (STS-1V) - the first flight from Vandenberg, although that was in danger of slipping to July. The use of the letter N means 14 flights planned for KSC for fiscal 1986 - plus another one for FY 1986 from VAFB. August 1988 was the latest they had flights planned, although the manifest was issued monthly, meaning there could be a December 1985 and January 1986 manifest lurking around. This was the latest such plan prior to Challenger that I could find.
November 1985 plan for space shuttle flights Mission 61B (STS-31) through 61E (STS-34). Notice that canceled Mission 61D was never given an STS number (Spacelab 4, also known as Space Laboratory Science-1, which would reappear in 1987.) August 1988 was the latest they had flights planned, although the manifest was issued monthly, meaning there could be a December 1985 and January 1986 manifest lurking around. This was the latest such plan prior to Challenger that I could find.
Space Shuttle Discovery on display in the James S. McDonnell Space Hangar in the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center of the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum in Chantilly, Va.
Photo: Dane Penland, Smithsonian
90398732 :Piction ID--Space Shuttle Artist Concept 1978---Please tag these photos so information can be recorded.---- Digitization of this image made possible by a generous grant from the NHPRC: NHPRC and the San Diego Air and Space Museum
Bonus shot for week 9 of the 52 Weeks of Lego project.
Space Shuttle Discovery is currently on its final mission, delivering equipment to the International Space Station. I had planned to save this shot for the week of the final shuttle mission ever, but all the remaining missions I could find on NASA's website coincide with weeks of important events in my personal life that I would rather showcase, so here it is this week. I missed the launch by a few days, but the mission is still on, so it's still a current event.
November 1985 plan for space shuttle flights Mission 61B (STS-31) through 81N (STS-72). By FY 1989 they hoped to get the promised 24 flights a year - 20 from KSC and 4 from Vandenberg. Ironically, Discovery which was dedicated to VAFB and would have flown only four flights a year turned out to be the fleet leader at the end of the shuttle program with 39 missions.
August 1988 was the latest they had flights planned, although the manifest was issued monthly, meaning there could be a December 1985 and January 1986 manifest lurking around. This was the latest such plan prior to Challenger that I could find.
Many people came out for a view of the shuttle flyover a few weeks back in Sacramento. This weekend the shuttle will be moving along the streets of Los Angeles and Inglewood on Friday and Saturday.
The light for the flyover in Sacramento was very bad, unfortunately, with the sun behind the shuttle from this angle
November 1985 plan for space shuttle flights Mission 61B (STS-31) through 81N (STS-72). August 1988 was the latest they had flights planned, although the manifest was issued monthly, meaning there could be a December 1985 and January 1986 manifest lurking around. This was the latest such plan prior to Challenger that I could find.
Pima Air and Space Museum
Space Shuttle Challenger Model
The shuttle was designed to launch as a rocket, orbit as a spacecraft, and land as an airplane, It was the first reusable manned spacecraft and was launched by two reusable solid rocket boosters.
The Space Shuttle Challenger was the second orbiter utilized by NASA's Space Shuttle Program. The Challenger's first flight, STS-6, launched on April 4, 1983. During its service, Challenger mission accomplishments include completion of the first spacewalk of the shuttle program, launching the first Tracking and Data Relay System (TDRS) satellite, and carrying the first American woman into space. Challenger completed nine missions before being destroyed on the tenth. On January 28, 1986, 73 seconds into its launch, the shuttle exploded due to faulty solid rocket booster O-rings, killing all seven crew members. The live broadcast of the explosion shocked the nation and halted all NASA launches for two years.
November 1985 plan for space shuttle flights Mission 61B (STS-31) through 81N (STS-72). August 1988 was the latest they had flights planned, although the manifest was issued monthly, meaning there could be a December 1985 and January 1986 manifest lurking around. This was the latest such plan prior to Challenger that I could find.
November 1985 plan for space shuttle flights Mission 61I (STS-41) through 71C (STS-46), including Mission 62B (STS-2V). Note that flights 61I, K and L as well as 71B are out of sequence, and that had this schedule been kept, 61I and 62B would have seen two shuttles in orbit at the same time. August 1988 was the latest they had flights planned, although the manifest was issued monthly, meaning there could be a December 1985 and January 1986 manifest lurking around. This was the latest such plan prior to Challenger that I could find.