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Can either of you answer this question for FWI? We need someone who works/ed in Mission Control.

To: Freedom'sWorthIt; Gracey

1. You mentioned, LP, about these 80 degree turns - and that you did not recall such turns on previous Shuttle returns you have watched. Can you or Gracey elaborate on why these turns were needed on this mission and not on others? (if that is true) - or link me to a thread or a post that has such explanations?

What I thought I heard from the NASA spokesman as the shuttle crossed California was that the Columbia had begun the first of four steep turns to dissipate speed and altitude. At one point I thought I heard him say the shuttle would have been in an 80 degree bank. That seemed a little steep to me. During the NASA briefing in the afternoon there was mention of 57 degree banks during the S turns. I may have misunderstood. Maybe Gracey can answer this but most of the recoveries I have seen came up to Kennedy from the SW and the speed/altitude losing turns seemed to happen closer in than where Columbia was doing her turns yesterday.

236 posted on 02/02/2003 6:44 PM PST by leadpenny

I suspect the 80 degrees or 57 degrees depends on which axis you measure it from. This is 3d geometry. We have always used similar wiggles to do "energy management" (scrub off speed).

Thanks for the explanation, LP. You are the only person that I have read that made that comment about these turns - but I have not read all the threads.

What heroes our Astronauts are - all of them!