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From: wherry@alazif.cxo.dec.com (bradley g wherry)
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Re: Shuttle question
Message-ID: <1990Nov26.113837@alazif.cxo.dec.com>
Date: 26 Nov 90 18:38:37 GMT
References: <37200@nigel.ee.udel.edu> <1990Nov19.140100@alazif.cxo.dec.com> <3795@cuisun.unige.ch> <40040@ut-emx.uucp>
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In article <37200@nigel.ee.udel.edu>, lydick@freezer.it.udel.edu (William
Lydick) writes:
|>>Anyway, that brings me to my next question.  Would some kind soul 
|>>provide some info on the selection of alternative landing sites for
|>>the shuttle ?  Somehow, I never knew Florida was an alternative.
|>>Don't they need stupendous ground facilities (like a huge runway
|>>and so on) for the shuttle to be able land there ?
|>>Thanks, in advance
|>>Srinivas Bettadpur
|>
|>Now, I'm not about to claim to be an expert on this (I'm not...:-), but I
seem
|>to remember alternate sites being discussed around the first or second
launch.
|>if the problem occurs VERY early in the flight, the shuttle could turn around
|>and land at KSC.  If the problem occurs after the KSC window, there are/were
two
|>sites in Africa(?) for an emergency landing.  If the shuttle were too far
into
|>the launch for Africa, I think that they just let it go into orbit for a few
|>minutes and land it in the western US.
|>
|>Now, Is there anybody out there who can either:
|>	A)  Confirm my recollections and add some more detail, or
|>	B)  Send out the men in white coats for me.
|>

well letsee, first off there is a huge stupendous runway at KSC built just for
the shuttle (and the 747 I suppose).  KSC has always been an "alternate landing
site".  

***Warning Potential Botched Nasa speak***

types of aborts (that I can recall off hand)

RTLS -- Return to Launch Site (KSC)
TAO -- Transatlantic abort (not sure where the o comes from)
       (Dakar, Madrid any more?)
AOA -- Abort to Orbit (not sure where the a comes from)

I believe the alternative landing site depends on the inclination of the
launch.
I believe for the standard launch it is Dakar, Senegal.

There are single and double engine failure TAO states.

The Public Affairs Officer (PAO) announces when the orbiter has reached any of
those states (single engine TAO, AOA etc). 

--
brad wherry                |  Ex ignorantia ad sapientiam; 
wherry@alazif.enet.dec.com |     e luce ad tenebras.