Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP 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.