Space Shuttle Landing - NASA Florida

The space shuttle Endeavour has landed successfully in Florida after completing its mission to the International Space Station.

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[Maisy5]

EXE - are you serious?? Do you have any idea how many things you use on a daily basis are a result of the space program?? Good grief, get your head out of the sand.

[Volodus]

You think they play chess up there? Type "International Space Station (ISS) Research" and read ...

[pimakilledsuki]

BOYCOTT TUCSON AZ THEY KILLED MY DOG SUKI ON 1/5/2011

[whopper139]

0:1

[sietec]

@puncheex (cont) so low collisions with air molecules are not too rampant as they would be at a lower altitude. The compression of the air in front of the hypersonic shock wave heats the fluid to a "plasma" state. Again, thanks for helping educate people on the space program!! It is so important that we have support to continue it!

[sietec]

@puncheex (cont) begins a somewhat "ballistic" entry. You are correct that the series of roll procedures reduces speed, but the major heating occurs with the shuttle still at a 40 degree nose up pitch attitude where, yes, friction does induce heating but since the pressure (and therefore density) of the air is

[sietec]

@puncheex - thanks for the explanations. However, one correction - about 80-90% of the heating that occurs during re-entry is due to compression effects of the atmospheric molecules as the shuttle (continued)

[sietec]

begins a somewhat "ballistic" entry. You are correct that the series of roll procedures reduces speed, but the major heating occurs with the shuttle still at a 40 degree nose up pitch attitude where, yes, friction does induce heating but since the pressure (and therefore density) of the air is

[sietec]

@puncheex - thanks for the explanations. However, one correction - about 80-90% of the heating that occurs during re-entry is due to compression effects of the atmospheric molecules as the shuttle begins a somewhat "ballistic" entry. You are correct that the series of roll procedures reduces speed, but the major heating occurs with the shuttle ..continued

[puncheex]

No. Its the APU exhaust; it throw off hydrogen which is burned. The APUs provide power to the hydraulics on the shuttle and for other uses. You can hear it chugging after the landing, and also in the last minute before launch.

[puncheex]

Forgot. In orbit it uses the OMS (orbital maneuvering system) rockets to slow itself enough to start the descent.

[puncheex]

@Kylenator: The main thing is the resistance of the air as it descends. That translates into the heating up of its surfaces. It also does a series of roll maneuvers to increase the air resistance. It lands like an airliner, except it has no power to climb out, and it descends about ten times faster than a jet. The two surfaces at the back of the rudder (speed brakes) flare out, the landing gear and parachute further slow it. Once its on the runway it uses brakes on its wheels.