Viewing page 76 of 172
This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.
APPENDIX B - KSC LANDING CONSIDERATION REPORT I. BACKGROUND Many factors must be considered when addressing the suitability of landing the Space Shuttle Orbiter at any given landing site. Over the years, the Orbiter specifications have been adjusted, systems have been delivered, problems have occurred, and fixes have been imple-mented. Each change has, in some small way, contributed to a partial complexion change to the total landing suitability subject. A com-prehensive look at all subjects provides insights necessary to reach reasonable findings. The list of information topics for consideration is long, and is included here to provide a perspective of the general problem. • Preflight trajectory design and resulting landing site opportunities • Launch window impact on landing conditions • Mission Control Center (MCC) responsibilities • Inflight landing system capability evaluation by MCC • Weather forecast and climatological data availability • Weather forecasting tools • Energy management during entry and in the vicinity of the landing field • Flight crew landing tasks • Runway characteristics and original design criteria • Hazard analysis of landing facility/environment • Orbiter landing system design and current status of brakes, tires, and nosewheel steering • Flight Rules governing landing site selection and role of the Shuttle training aircraft (STA) pilot • Problems which could cause the runway to be a safety factor • Runway comparison with respect to major rollout failures • Program need for end-of-mission landing site selection • Ferry operations using the Shuttle carrier aircraft (SCA) • Mate/demate operations • Turnaround operations for various landing sites • Cargo concerns related to landing sites • Schedule impact for landings not at NASA Kennedy Space Center (KSC) • Off-runway rescue capability at various landing sites • Steps the Space Shuttle Program has taken in response to issues II. METHOD OF INVESTIGATION The KSC landing considerations subject was divided into a preliminary list of 29 study topics. A search was made in each topic area to find the most expert responder to provide the requested data. Preliminary responses were reviewed which led to additional actions and topics to be investigated. When all report were complete, a format was selected to present the information to the Presidential Commission on the Space Shuttle Challenger Accident. Many topics were combined for expediency and findings were drawn based upon the information - B1-
