Some questions from today's landing.

I watched the landing today on the Nasa web video feed. Two questions came
to mind.

Houston would often acknowledge instruction readbacks with "That's a good
copy", or "That's a good readback". Standard aviation talk would be
"readback correct". I'm curious why they went with different wording.

When the shuttle was on final approach to the runway, there was a head-on
view shown. I couldn't quite tell, but it looked like the split rudder was
open. Do they use that in flight for speed control like an airplane might
use flaps or spoilers, or it it just used after touchdown to reduce rollout
length?

In article ,
Roy Smith wrote:

Houston would often acknowledge instruction readbacks with "That's a good
copy", or "That's a good readback". Standard aviation talk would be
"readback correct". I'm curious why they went with different wording.

Probably familiarity. After all, it is another astronaut that is doing
capcom, so they know how to communicate. After 12 days, I think they
would be looking for any way possible to mix up the saying a little.

When the shuttle was on final approach to the runway, there was a head-on
view shown. I couldn't quite tell, but it looked like the split rudder was
open. Do they use that in flight for speed control like an airplane might
use flaps or spoilers, or it it just used after touchdown to reduce rollout
length?

I saw that, too. Yes, it is a speed brake. Each section of the
rudder must be able to move independently (or the whole unit swivels)
in order to still function as a rudder.

The question that I had is that it took 14 minutes for any people
to show up on the ground. Is that normal? I recall seeing landings
in the 90's where the truck to safe the orbiter rolled up right behind
the shuttle at wheels stop. Why the wait?

-john-

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================================================== ====================
John A. Weeks III 952-432-2708
Newave Communications http://www.johnweeks.com
================================================== ====================

Well, there seemed to be a lot of switch throwing going on in that time, and
we do not know if the vehicles were just held out of shot, do we?

Brian

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"John A. Weeks III" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Roy Smith wrote:

Houston would often acknowledge instruction readbacks with "That's a good
copy", or "That's a good readback". Standard aviation talk would be
"readback correct". I'm curious why they went with different wording.

Probably familiarity. After all, it is another astronaut that is doing
capcom, so they know how to communicate. After 12 days, I think they
would be looking for any way possible to mix up the saying a little.

When the shuttle was on final approach to the runway, there was a head-on
view shown. I couldn't quite tell, but it looked like the split rudder
was
open. Do they use that in flight for speed control like an airplane
might
use flaps or spoilers, or it it just used after touchdown to reduce
rollout
length?

I saw that, too. Yes, it is a speed brake. Each section of the
rudder must be able to move independently (or the whole unit swivels)
in order to still function as a rudder.

The question that I had is that it took 14 minutes for any people
to show up on the ground. Is that normal? I recall seeing landings
in the 90's where the truck to safe the orbiter rolled up right behind
the shuttle at wheels stop. Why the wait?

-john-

--
================================================== ====================
John A. Weeks III 952-432-2708
Newave Communications http://www.johnweeks.com
================================================== ====================