"nmp" wrote in message ...
djarvinen wrote:

I was watching the live pics of STS-118 landing today and noticed that
the landing gear doesn't come down until what appears to be just seconds
(10-15?) before landing.

So what's the procedure if the gear doesn't come down? I'm pretty sure
a go-around isn't an option.

I'm no technologist or expert but even I can figure that one out. The
procedure is: put her down with her belly on the ground, and let's see
what happens. Like you said, there is no alternative either way.

Could be a problem as the orbiter has a flat underside. Sounds like a recipe for a flip-over tail-over-nose.