Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!mcvax!ukc!strath-cs!glasgow!willisa
From: willisa@cs.glasgow.ac.uk (Mark Willis)
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Re: Unmanned shuttle capability?
Summary: Fly by wire shuttle
Message-ID: <1920@crete.cs.glasgow.ac.uk>
Date: 22 Nov 88 13:16:02 GMT
References: <350@igor.Rational.COM> <2160@kalliope.rice.edu> <1294@muddcs.Claremont.EDU>
Reply-To: willisa@cs.glasgow.ac.uk (Mark Willis)
Organization: Comp Sci, Glasgow Univ, Scotland
Lines: 26

In article <1294@muddcs.Claremont.EDU> mwilkins@muddcs.UUCP (Mark Wilkins) writes:
>   According to astronaut Pinky Nelson of STS-26, a Harvey Mudd graduate who 
>visited last week, there is a completely operational automatic landing
>system on the shuttle.  Any or all of the landing can be automated, largely

I'm not absolutely sure, but as I remember, the first four missions were
landed maually. The computers were made to think they were in control,
and their performances recorded for later evaluation.
The STS-5 landing was automatic, but obviously, the pilot was ready to take
over in case of any problem.

>   The problem with an automated mission is that the APUs and other
>necessary systems require ongoing human maintenance during the flight.

Yeah, maybe. But surely they would ensure anything messy like that was
in full working order before trying to land.
I cant really see the crew making adjustments to an APU or fuel cell (even
if they could) just before the flare or final approach :-)
 Surely that sort of equipment is self regulating anyway.

		Mark
		----

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