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Pastimes : Shuttle Columbia STS-107
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To: Bill Jackson who wrote (506)2/12/2003 2:08:05 PM
From: J.B.C.  Read Replies (1) of 627
 
It can not trade speed for altitude! The shuttle at reentry point in the upper atmosphere is not an aerodynamic entity, it is dependent upon pyro jets to maintain its flight configuration. Pull back on the stick in the upper atmosphere, the nose will not rise, it is already in a max altitude situation on the wings, there just isn't enough atmosphere and you have no engines. Fire the pyro jets to lift the nose and all you have is a greater angle of attack. Once you fire the reentry rockets, and reduced your speed below orbital velocity, you're coming down. At the point in altitude that SST has aerodynamic effectiveness, you've already passed MAX Q, MAX H (heat).

The shuttles wings are designed for one purpose, and that is to provide a runway landing near SL altitude, above that they are about as useful as wings on an ostrich.

Jim
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