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About the chute



 
 
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  #1  
Old December 23rd 06, 12:02 AM posted to sci.space.shuttle
Vandar
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Posts: 39
Default About the chute

Is the primary function of the chute to drop the nose or to slow the
Shuttle, or a combination of the two? I noticed it was jettisoned
shortly after the nose touch down, so I'm wondering what the primary
purpose of the chute is.

As a follow-up: What is the actual distance the Shuttle needs from touch
down to wheels stop? I know optimal runway length is a couple miles, but
it looked like that thing came to a stop rather quickly. Does it only
use half the length of the strip?
Would an extra (or larger) chute help shorten the required runway
length, similar to what you see in drag racing?

You can hit me with the technical jargon if need be. I'm not intimately
familiar with the program, but I'm a devout follower and have lurked
around these parts for years.

Thanks.

  #2  
Old December 23rd 06, 12:31 AM posted to sci.space.shuttle
John[_3_]
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Posts: 373
Default About the chute


Vandar wrote:
Is the primary function of the chute to drop the nose or to slow the
Shuttle, or a combination of the two? I noticed it was jettisoned
shortly after the nose touch down, so I'm wondering what the primary
purpose of the chute is.

As a follow-up: What is the actual distance the Shuttle needs from touch
down to wheels stop? I know optimal runway length is a couple miles, but
it looked like that thing came to a stop rather quickly. Does it only
use half the length of the strip?
Would an extra (or larger) chute help shorten the required runway
length, similar to what you see in drag racing?

You can hit me with the technical jargon if need be. I'm not intimately
familiar with the program, but I'm a devout follower and have lurked
around these parts for years.

Thanks.


The primary purpose of the chute is to slow the vehicle down. They
don't need help dropping the nose, in fact, the crew works to do so
slowly and smoothly. I agree the roll-out seemed short and I suspect
that landing into a 16 - 20 knot headwind was a nice contributing
factor.

I am not sure what considerations went into the size of the chute.

Blue skies

John

  #3  
Old December 23rd 06, 01:20 AM posted to sci.space.shuttle
Derek Lyons
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Posts: 2,999
Default About the chute

Vandar wrote:

Is the primary function of the chute to drop the nose or to slow the
Shuttle, or a combination of the two?


Niether. It's to hold the nose up as speed bleeds off to decrease the
stress on the nosewheel when it touches down.

D.
--
Touch-twice life. Eat. Drink. Laugh.

-Resolved: To be more temperate in my postings.
Oct 5th, 2004 JDL
  #4  
Old December 23rd 06, 04:20 AM posted to sci.space.shuttle
Lee Jay
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Posts: 146
Default About the chute

Just so you have a sense of scale, here it is in the NASA Ames 80x120
(by far the world's largest wind tunnel):

http://windtunnels.arc.nasa.gov/pics/80x120/80by22.html

Lee Jay

  #5  
Old December 23rd 06, 05:10 AM posted to sci.space.shuttle
George Evans
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Posts: 257
Default About the chute

in article , John at
wrote on 12/22/06 3:31 PM:

Vandar wrote:

Is the primary function of the chute to drop the nose or to slow the Shuttle,
or a combination of the two? I noticed it was jettisoned shortly after the
nose touch down, so I'm wondering what the primary purpose of the chute is.

As a follow-up: What is the actual distance the Shuttle needs from touch down
to wheels stop? I know optimal runway length is a couple miles, but it looked
like that thing came to a stop rather quickly. Does it only use half the
length of the strip? Would an extra (or larger) chute help shorten the
required runway length, similar to what you see in drag racing?

You can hit me with the technical jargon if need be. I'm not intimately
familiar with the program, but I'm a devout follower and have lurked around
these parts for years.

Thanks.

The primary purpose of the chute is to slow the vehicle down. They don't need
help dropping the nose, in fact, the crew works to do so slowly and smoothly.
I agree the roll-out seemed short and I suspect that landing into a 16 - 20
knot headwind was a nice contributing factor.


I seem to recall that the chute was added to help take load of the nose gear
at touch down.

George Evans

  #6  
Old December 23rd 06, 05:39 AM posted to sci.space.shuttle
Greg D. Moore \(Strider\)
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Posts: 2,865
Default About the chute


"Vandar" wrote in message
...
Is the primary function of the chute to drop the nose or to slow the
Shuttle, or a combination of the two? I noticed it was jettisoned shortly
after the nose touch down, so I'm wondering what the primary purpose of
the chute is.


Slow down the orbiter before it puts down the nose landing gear (which isn't
built as strongly as they'd like due to weight reasons.)



As a follow-up: What is the actual distance the Shuttle needs from touch
down to wheels stop? I know optimal runway length is a couple miles, but
it looked like that thing came to a stop rather quickly. Does it only use
half the length of the strip?
Would an extra (or larger) chute help shorten the required runway length,
similar to what you see in drag racing?


Possibly, but also add weight for little benefit.



You can hit me with the technical jargon if need be. I'm not intimately
familiar with the program, but I'm a devout follower and have lurked
around these parts for years.


Pick up a copy of Jenkin's "Space Shuttle". 3rd Edition if you can get it.
(which shouldn't be too hard.)



Thanks.



  #8  
Old December 24th 06, 03:38 PM posted to sci.space.shuttle
[email protected][_1_]
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Posts: 105
Default About the chute


The primary purpose of the chute is to slow the vehicle down.

They added the chute to help them land at Kennedy, it's a shorter
runway than Edwards.

 




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