Comment by Lance_ET_Compte
2 years ago
I saw the space shuttle land once. From my perspective, it seemed to drop like a rock (fast!) and then as it got closer to the ground, it started "flying". I'd never seen anything like it.
2 years ago
I saw the space shuttle land once. From my perspective, it seemed to drop like a rock (fast!) and then as it got closer to the ground, it started "flying". I'd never seen anything like it.
The flare-out is really difficult to get right, from what I’ve read. As soon as you start leveling off, air speed is going to drop really fast, and you have very little time to get that bugger on the ground before you get in a stall. They used to practice using a modified jet, flying from high altitude to a landing with thrust reversers engaged all the way!
For whatever reason the way I think about this phenomenon is like autorotation in a rotary craft.