[ale] OT: Space Shuttle Columbia

[tfreeman at intel.digichem.net]

On Wed, 5 Feb 2003, Kilroy, Chris wrote:

> just an aside to the idea of a lower speed orbital descent.
> 
> basically unless i'm missing something you are going to need 
> a lot more fuel to perform this action, because gravity is doing all the 
> work.  to counteract that, you are going to need a lot of fuel, unless 
> there is some sublte straightforward way to enter a descent angle, that 
> for some reason won't decay into the same rapid descent they use now.
>

Reentry is currently a process of trading kinetic and potiential energy 
for heat. In order to disapate the heat the heat fast enough to achieve 
lower temperatures, the shuttle may well need much more lift than it 
currently has at high altitudes. 
 
<<snip>>
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