Re: Come on guys, try to at least restrain youselves at least a bit

On Sep 22, 4:14 pm, "Androcles" <Headmas...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
"Benj" <bjac...@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message

Ask Harry about the shuttle making a right turn over Buffalo, NY
on its way to Cape Canaveral.

Dhuh!

I assume that Benj realizes that Shuttle launces from Florida have
essentiall East-West orbits, but that the landing strip runs North-
South.

Obsiously the Shuttle must make a 90-degee turn from it's orbital
configuration to its landing configuration, otherwise it would make a
big splash in the Atlantic Ocean. Not a pretty sight!

Now here is a small bit of physics fact that Benj doesn't yet grasp:
To make an orthogonal (right turn to Benj) while in orbit requires
precisely TWICE the energy required to initially achieve orbit (at
least in the vacuum of space). Fortunately, there is a way around
this.

The scenario here is to gradually re-enter the Earth's atmosphere and
when speed is reduced sufficiently, apply the control surfaces on the
Shuttles wings to gradually execute a slow turn employing the stored
kinetic energy of the Shuttle to accomplish this. And yes, Buffalo
New York is just about optimal as a center radius for executing a 90-
degree turn that results in a direct approach from the North for a
landing at Cape Kennedy. On more Southern orbits, the turn location
is in central South America, and the approach to Kennedy is from the
South.

In pilot jargon, this is an 18-minites turn.

For special circumstances and emergencies, several alternative landing
sites exist, including Hawaii (just offshore the airport at Honolulu)
and Vandenberg AFB in CA.

Benj, have a nice day! :-)

p.s., For what it's worth, Cape Kennedy is configured to do East-West
launches, and Vanderberg handles the North-South launches. If you
really think about why, consider among other things the public safety
factors, falling spent boosters, and things like that.







.

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