Thanks, Very interesting.
"DEEPNHOCK" <DEEPNHOCK@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
news:185772ac-5676-4fba-b52a-aabea6eb93fd@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> (More info, and a better description...)
>
> With the possible exception of a single HST servicing mission, the
> Space Shuttle is now entirely dedicated to flights servicing the
> International Space Station (ISS). ISS orbits in a specific "orbital
> plane", which can be roughly visualized as a sheet of paper running
> through the center of the Earth, and tipped at an angle of 51 degrees
> from the equator, so that the paper forms a circle touching all lines
> of latitude between 51N and 51S. This inclined orbit was chosen to
> allow launches to ISS from both American and Russian launch sites
> (although the Russian launch site is actually in Kazakhstan).
>
> When the shuttle flies to ISS, the exact position of ISS in its orbit
> is not terribly im****tant, because it is relatively easy to ****ft an
> orbiting shuttle forward or backward in the orbital plane. What
> matters is the position of the orbital plane itself, because it is
> quite difficult to change planes in space. Therefore, the Shuttle is
> launched at the exact time when the Earth's rotation brings Cape
> Canaveral through the imaginary sheet of paper that defines the ISS
> orbital plane. This creates a very short launch window.
>
> The shuttle's launch trajectory follows the path defined by that
> imaginary sheet of paper, tipped 51 degrees to the equator. This path
> takes the shuttle northeast along the East Coast of the United States.
> (Technically, there is a second launch op****tunity each day to the
> southeast, but that trajectory cannot be used because the launch
> trajectory would take the shuttle over populated regions of the
> Caribbean during the launch process.)
>
> When the shuttle launches at night, the launch is actually visible
> throughout the Atlantic coastline. Main engine cutoff, eight minutes
> after launch, happens off the New England shoreline
> (end)
>
>
>> > "ALEX M." wrote:
>> > I thought they launched to the East?- Hide quoted text -
>>
>> - Show quoted text -
>
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