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Old 02-December-2005, 01:30 AM
joema joema is online now
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I think the shuttle requires at a minimum a very long runway with an ILS (Instrument Landing System). In fact the preferred abort sites have a Microwave Scanning Beam Landing System -- only a few runways world wide have that.

The shuttle has significant "crossrange" capability if 800 nautical miles either side of the ground track (1600 nm total). In an emergency de-orbit situation as depicted in the video, it's very likely it could reach a valid emergency landing site.

If for some reason it could not, I doubt the landing would be survivable. I'm pretty sure the mission rules in such case call for a bailout, not a stunt pilot landing.
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