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From: john@frog.UUCP (John Woods)
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Re: How do they get it pointing up?
Message-ID: <10568@frog.UUCP>
Date: 1 Dec 89 07:10:00 GMT
References: <1989Nov23.165606.27671@utzoo.uucp> <117.UUL1.3#5131@mvac23.UUCP>
Organization: Misanthropes-R-Us
Lines: 14

In article <117.UUL1.3#5131@mvac23.UUCP>, thomas@mvac23.UUCP (Thomas Lapp) writes:
> I assume that one of the reasons that shuttle's engines start before the
> solid boosters is to help counteract the tendency of the whole thing to
> fall on the orbiter's back?

That might be, though (as a guess) it is also nice to know that the SSMEs
are happy and working before turning on the SRBs -- especially since the
SSMEs shut down at T-4 seconds one time; having them refuse to start after
the SRBs turn on would be much more annoying...
-- 
John Woods, Charles River Data Systems, Framingham MA, (508) 626-1101
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Happiness is Planet Earth in your rear-view mirror.	- Sam Hurt