Canopus56 wrote:
Patrick,
Is this an usual landing approach pattern? The route appears to minimize transit over any populated landmasses.
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I'm not some conspiracy theorist; I'm a space enthusiast and am confident the shuttle descent will be without incident. I'm just curious about the route selection. Wouldn't it be easier to just land west-east, like Columbia did, or is NASA trying to limit flight time other populated landmasses?
Conspiracies aside, I think it's all a matter of orbital mechanics. Columbia was in a much shallower inclination orbit (something like 38 degrees if memory serves) so it and the two other shuttle flights that shared that orbit came in such that they passed over southern Utah. Discovery and the many other flights in the 51 degree orbit needed to match ISS's orbit have come in from down under as Discovery is currently scheduled to do or from over the top where they pass over part of Canada and down through the center of the US. I'm guessing that if Discovery's first landing attempt is weathered out the approach for any subsequent attempts will be much different. Launches, on the other hand, are a whole different matter. NASA will not launch over populated areas. That's why the other shuttle launch site was built at Vandenberg AFB in S. California from which the shuttle was to launch south over the ocean into high inclination/polar orbits. Go Discovery! Patrick