Re: Brute force re-entry

From: Jorge R. Frank (jrfrank_at_ibm-pc.borg.retro.com)
Date: 08/26/04 

Date: Thu, 26 Aug 2004 06:49:36 -0500
To: sci-space-tech@moderators.isc.org

"Lizerd" <1@2.com.retro.com> wrote in
news:SoSWc.511983$Gx4.59916@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net:

> "Jorge R. Frank" <jrfrank@ibm-pc.borg.retro.com> wrote in message
> news:Xns954B5B203B45jrfrank@216.196.97.130...
>> Alcore <alcore@uurth.com> wrote in
>> news:Pine.LNX.4.44.0408190938590.28902-100000@uurth.com:
>>
>> > I think the point that he was trying to make was that given the
>> > steep angle of re-entry that NASA always uses,
>>
>> Incorrect. The space shuttle re-enters at a flight path angle
>> typically between -1 and -1.5 degrees. That's hardly "steep".
>>
> True, 1 to 1.5 is shallow....
> But I was picturing the shuttle reentering at closer to 15 to 20.
> I do know it is piched up at 33 to 35 degrees.

That's the problem: people's mental "pictures" of shuttle re-entry are
entirely contrary to the fact. I suspect a lot of them are confusing angle
of attack (40 degrees) with flight path angle (-1 to -1.5 degrees). 

-- 
JRF
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