Some questions from today's landing.

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

Roy Smith - 23 Jun 2007 01:43 GMT

I watched the landing today on the Nasa web video feed. Two questions came
to mind.

Houston would often acknowledge instruction readbacks with "That's a good
copy", or "That's a good readback". Standard aviation talk would be
"readback correct". I'm curious why they went with different wording.

When the shuttle was on final approach to the runway, there was a head-on
view shown. I couldn't quite tell, but it looked like the split rudder was
open. Do they use that in flight for speed control like an airplane might
use flaps or spoilers, or it it just used after touchdown to reduce rollout
length?

Reply to this Message

John A. Weeks III - 23 Jun 2007 02:42 GMT

> Houston would often acknowledge instruction readbacks with "That's a good
> copy", or "That's a good readback". Standard aviation talk would be
> "readback correct". I'm curious why they went with different wording.

Probably familiarity. After all, it is another astronaut that is doing
capcom, so they know how to communicate. After 12 days, I think they
would be looking for any way possible to mix up the saying a little.

> When the shuttle was on final approach to the runway, there was a head-on
> view shown. I couldn't quite tell, but it looked like the split rudder was
> open. Do they use that in flight for speed control like an airplane might
> use flaps or spoilers, or it it just used after touchdown to reduce rollout
> length?

I saw that, too. Yes, it is a speed brake. Each section of the
rudder must be able to move independently (or the whole unit swivels)
in order to still function as a rudder.

The question that I had is that it took 14 minutes for any people
to show up on the ground. Is that normal? I recall seeing landings
in the 90's where the truck to safe the orbiter rolled up right behind
the shuttle at wheels stop. Why the wait?

-john-

Signature

======================================================================
John A. Weeks III 952-432-2708 john@johnweeks.com
Newave Communications http://www.johnweeks.com
======================================================================

Reply to this Message

Brian Gaff - 23 Jun 2007 09:45 GMT

Well, there seemed to be a lot of switch throwing going on in that time, and
we do not know if the vehicles were just held out of shot, do we?

Brian

Signature

Brian Gaff....Note, this account does not accept Bcc: email.
graphics are great, but the blind can't hear them
Email: briang1@blueyonder.co.uk
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

>> Houston would often acknowledge instruction readbacks with "That's a good
>> copy", or "That's a good readback". Standard aviation talk would be
[quoted text clipped - 23 lines]
>
> -john-

Reply to this Message

Space Forum / Shuttle / June 2007

Some questions from today's landing.