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From: steve@bambi.UUCP (Steve Miller)
Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: Re: Shuttle Ditching
Message-ID: <270@bambi.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 4-Feb-86 18:55:32 EST
Article-I.D.: bambi.270
Posted: Tue Feb  4 18:55:32 1986
Date-Received: Fri, 7-Feb-86 08:31:32 EST
References: <8602032227.AA10998@s1-b.arpa>
Organization: Bell Communications Research Inc., Morristown, NJ
Lines: 19

> 1) Ground crew interprets visual data, determines that the situation is
> deadly, and tells shuttle commander to abort.  My guess is that this
> could take up a very significant part of 15 seconds.

Navy pilots launching from aircraft carriers are trained to respond
instantly to the command "Punch out" from the air boss.  I have seen
films of pilots being given this command.  The air boss has maybe
one to three seconds immediately after launch to identify an
emergency, and then give the command.

> Now, even if all the above could be done in time and the Shuttle remain
> intact, could the Shuttle obtain an aerodynamic trajectory before
> hitting the ocean?

Challenger was about nine miles up and moving nearly 2000 mph.  At this
speed, even the thin air at that height provides adequate control
for aerodynamic surfaces to orient a large aircraft.

	-Steve Miller ihnp4!bambi!steve