Landing - STS-130 Space Shuttle Endeavour Lands At Kennedy Space Center

[Chrisjr2007]

The guy who took the video is a legend ;)

[Chrisjr2007]

The guy who took the video is a legend ;)

[spacearium]

I prefer shooting day landings, with the Sun, but the night landings are really kind of eerie. Out of the dark the orbiter just drops into view and zips by.

The auxiliary power units (APU) generate very hot exhaust. There are two vents at the base of the tail... think of them as being the orbiter's "tailpipes". The flames usually give some people a scare during night landings, but it's normal. On daytime landings you don't even see it.

[Braun09tv]

@spacearium there are two big bright lights at both ends of the runway. Do you know if the pilots can see the runway from on end to the other? How bright are they and how far can they lighten up the runway?

[mach25man]

There called xeon lights pronounced ze-on. They are just an aid for the shuttle. You cant see the whole 3 miles but there is some light. The runway has lights down both sides and the center. But the xeon lights do help.

[85iceman]

@spacearium -- Is the spot where this cool video is shot from open to the public? Or only to those with credentials?

[mach25man]

These are the stands right next to the runway control tower . Only VIP's and media. Invitation only bused in from the visitor's center. Only recovery/runway crew gets closer right next to the runway.

[spacearium]

Hey mach25man, thanks for answering those questions. I had a temporary drop off the face of the Earth. It also doesn't hurt that you're correct lol. Something tells me you work around the shuttle.

[spacearium]

There are 3 APU's and they're critical for landing. If they fail, the orbiter will crash out of control. It's so important, they won't let the astronauts fire the engines to de-orbit unless one of them is turned on an working beforehand. The other two are turned on later - before landing.

[spacearium]

Go to Google Maps and type in "Nasa Shuttle Landing Facility". About halfway down the runway is a cleared area. That's where the control tower is and where all the media, VIP's and family watch. Right next to the runway.

[bekahlovesbulls]

well that wus so kool.

[matske2102]

why are those rockets firing at the tail of the shuttle???

[mach25man]

Those are flames from the APU exhaust. Its normal. You dont see them on day landings but they're still there.

[reaperrowledge]

@mach25man what is the apu dude?

[mach25man]

Auxillary Power Unit. In the shuttle for landing they provide hydraulic pressure to operate the aero surfaces and brakes.

[reaperrowledge]

awsome dude! i want an apu for my computer lol!

[spacearium]

Occasionally, the sight of the exhaust will startle the casual observer, but it's perfectly normal. I explain it to people with the analogy that the vents are like the orbiter's tailpipes - in a way. That's also one reason it takes ~1 hour to get the crew off the orbiter. The APU's have to be shut down and everything made safe.

[mach25man]

Most of the reason it takes an hour is so they get their land legs back. Post landing checklist is usually done in 25 minutes. Throwing up by some takes 45 to 60 minutes.

[Lachausis]

Original clip! For that 5 *

However just for the sake of aesthetics, I like it when they land it at sunny days with no clouds at all.