Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Path: utzoo!henry
From: henry@zoo.toronto.edu (Henry Spencer)
Subject: Re: Shuttle Abort Modes
Message-ID: <1990Nov27.173727.25516@zoo.toronto.edu>
Organization: U of Toronto Zoology
References: <1990Nov26.222928.6431@news.arc.nasa.gov> <1990Nov27.084918.2732@resam.dk>
Date: Tue, 27 Nov 90 17:37:27 GMT

In article <1990Nov27.084918.2732@resam.dk> andrew@resam.dk (Leif Andrew Rump) writes:
>I have been told that even in theory that situations leading to RTLS
>would probably tear up the craft before the pilot was able to release
>the engines or maybe even because the still working engine _was_
>released! Is this folklore?

There is no "engine release" in RTLS; RTLS is available only after SRB
burnout.  (There is no, repeat no, abort method while the SRBs are burning.)

The hypersonic 180-degree turn for RTLS is something the astronauts are 
not enthusiastic about.
-- 
"I'm not sure it's possible            | Henry Spencer at U of Toronto Zoology
to explain how X works."               |  henry@zoo.toronto.edu   utzoo!henry