wrote:
What was this call? About a min. before MECO, they told the PLT to
expect a nominal shutdown.. never heard that call before -
What would something non-nominal be? Were they referring to abort modes
or something else?

A nominal shutdown occurs when the shuttle reaches a predetermined
velocity with residual propellants still in the tank. The alternative
would
be a propellant depletion (empty tank) cutoff, triggered by propellant
depletion sensors in the tanks. A unexpected depletion cutoff
happened on Columbia's STS-93 mission in 1999 after a small leak
developed in one of the SSMEs, leaving the orbiter a bit shy of the
planned shutdown velocity.

- Ed kyle