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Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site ames.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!sdcsvax!sdcrdcf!hplabs!nsc!ames!al
From: al@ames.UUCP (Al Globus)
Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: Re: Orphaned Response
Message-ID: <712@ames.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 18-Dec-84 21:46:44 EST
Article-I.D.: ames.712
Posted: Tue Dec 18 21:46:44 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 22-Dec-84 00:48:44 EST
References: <-2700@tektools.UUCP> <73300001@hpfclq.UUCP>
Organization: NASA-Ames Research Center, Mtn. View, CA
Lines: 22

> 
> 
> I believe the answer is "yes".  I know that the on-board flight
> computers land the vehicle but I don't remember if they also inject
> the Shuttle into the re-entry path.  I also think that it wasn't
> until the sixth misssion that a pilot actually landed the craft
> manually.  Knowing NASA, it seems to me that they probably could land
> the Shuttle without human help for safety reasons if nothing else.
> 
> al stone
> hpfcla!al
> 
>   it up as I go.>

Final touchdown on all shuttle landings has been done with the mission
commander in control.  People are considered more reliable.  Many parts
of re-entry are computer controlled and the software has touch down
capability but it has never been used.  There is some speculation that
the pilots prefer to land themselves for, essentially, personal reasons.
After all, they may only get a few chances to actually land the shuttle,
better take advantage of them.  It's quite an accomplishment.