So what about a capsule with inflatable wings like a hang glider. OK I have
seen pictures many years ago of tests of this idea and apparently, then it
was felt far too complex and error prone.
Brian

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From the Sofa of Brian Gaff Reply address is active
"JF Mezei" wrote in message
eb.com...
On 14-08-25 13:48, Jeff Findley wrote:

If given the choice between a gliding landing on a runway in a lifting
body or propulsive vertical landing, I'd personally choose the vertical
landing. But I'm not the NASA Astronaut Office who's been landing
gliders for decades, so they may have another preference.

Can you elaborate on your preference ?

Both techniques involve a "only one shot to land". And contrary to the
unar landers where the crew are in control o craft for minutes and see
descent slowing down etc, the capsules are in free fall (with
parachutes) with engines firing only at last minute to slow down to
landing speed. Miss that and you land rather hard.

In a glider scenario, I suspect the crew have much more time to get into
a controlled approach and failing this, they can bail out if they
realise the landing will fail.


However, I guess from the hot re-entry phase, a capsule gains advantages
over a glider whose attitude must remain within a very narrow set fo
acceptable numbers of face total destruction. A capsule is more
forgiving and self adjusting.