On 7/30/2010 4:02 PM, Greg D. Moore (Strider) wrote:


That's one thing that the shuttle "sort of" got right. landing within miles
of where it took off (sometimes) and making a short ride over to being
refurbed.

What Shuttle didn't get right was the need for acceptable weather at KSC
for a RTLS abort, and on the far side of the Atlantic for sub-orbital
aborts.
Not even to mention all the Shuttle returns that were delayed in landing
at KSC or went to Edwards as a alternate landing site due to weather
problems at KSC.
That's something that needs correcting on a future launch system; it
should go up and return in the same sort of weather a airliner would
find acceptable to operate in.
(Although from my old days as a FAA contract weather observer at
Jamestown Airport, I can remember looking out the window to the north
and seeing this solid black wall of rain from horizon-to-horizon heading
towards us, and telling an incoming regional airliner: "You know
something? Not only would I recommend not attempting a landing here...if
I were you, I'd get the hell as far away from here as possible, ASAP."
They took that advice and probably avoided getting slammed into the
ground by a squall line with zero visibility when all **** broke loose
around five minutes later. Technically, I was only supposed to report
the weather conditions to the incoming aircraft, and not give them any
sort of advice about what to do, as Jamestown Airport is uncontrolled
airspace. I simply decided that I didn't want twenty dead people on my
conscience, and said "Screw The Rules".)

Pat