Viewing Shuttle Reentry From Southern California

[jbkayak]

WHere is the best viewing of reentry in southern california. I live in Orange County and want to drive to best location... Any ideas? If sshuttle lands @ 1:43 AM PST about what time is it over califonia?? 20-30 mins prior? Let me know. Thanks <br /><br />James

 

[shuttle_rtf]

You won't get to see her....if she lands at KSC as expected. She's due in via Central America this time.

 

[jbkayak]

Thanks for the info...I was afraid of that. I will check web site to see if any changes. Can I ask, where does the shuttle need to land in order for me to see re-entry in Southern California? Edwards AFB? Thanks again<br />

 

[shuttle_rtf]

Edwards or White Sands, I believe. Would have to be a weather issue with KSC. <br /><br />I've got mates in San Diego and they think she'd come up via that angle to Edwards. Caught one on Instant Messenger (I'm in England) and he said OC is not far up the road on the way to LA.<br /><br />If you hang around on here or our forum, we'll update on de-orbit burn, so you'd get to know if it's KSC for sure.

 

[jbkayak]

Im a bit confussed...Where was Colombia scheduled to land. Florida right. Anyway, didnt it fly over SC before breaking up in Texas....anyway...trying to make sense of it...

 

[drwayne]

Among other things, remember that Columbia was in a much different orbit that Discovery now is.<br /><br />Wayne <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>"1) Give no quarter; 2) Take no prisoners; 3) Sink everything."  Admiral Jackie Fisher</p> </div>

 

[earth_bound_misfit]

Thats right, That mission didn't go to the Space Station. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p> </p><p>----------------------------------------------------------------- </p><p>Wanna see this site looking like the old SDC uplink?</p><p>Go here to see how: <strong>SDC Eye saver </strong>  </p> </div>

 

[jbkayak]

great info ...interesting

 

[anotheridiot]

I want nothing more than the shuttle to return safely and a regular launch schedule follow again.<br /><br />I was wondering about the over water entry. They can pretty much put her into any orbit they want cant they?<br /><br />Do you think they adjusted the orbit so the tragedy wouldnt leave debris over the states like it did last time?<br /><br />Would it be a reason not to spend years looking for and reassembling debris because they couldnt find it in the gulf of Mexico or would the debris float and be easier to find? Considering another tragedy will end the shuttle program all together.

 

[drwayne]

"They can pretty much put her into any orbit they want cant they?"<br /><br />No, changing orbital planes requires a lot of energy. Only relatively small changes are possible. Remember, Discovery went to the ISS, so its orbit is going to be darn close to the ISS orbit.<br /><br />Wayne <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>"1) Give no quarter; 2) Take no prisoners; 3) Sink everything."  Admiral Jackie Fisher</p> </div>

 

[CalliArcale]

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>Do you think they adjusted the orbit so the tragedy wouldnt leave debris over the states like it did last time? <p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br /><br />No. This was an ISS mission; they therefore had no choice about the orbit. It had to be an orbit that would get them to the station. That's why the reentry track has such a dramatic angle to it -- it's the same angle as the station's orbital inclination. STS-114 would've come in along a similar track (although it could also have come from the north, depending on the timing) even if the Columbia accident hadn't happened.<br /><br />There has been some talk of having shuttles along less dramatically inclined orbits (e.g. the 28 degree orbit of the Hubble Space Telescope) land on the West Coast. These would be flights that would follow a more overland reentry track, much like STS-107. This would minimize damage to folks on the ground in the event of another breakup during reentry. But no decisions have been made, and probably wouldn't be made until such a mission flew. It costs a lot more to land on the West Coast than the East Coast because of the expense and delay of ferrying the Orbiter back to Florida afterwards. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#666699"><em>"People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly . . . timey wimey . . . stuff."</em>  -- The Tenth Doctor, "Blink"</font></p> </div>

 

[viper101]

Would bringing the orbiter back from EAFB still involve the 747?

 

[georgeniebling]

the only way to transport a Shuttle from one point to another is via the SCA (the 747) ..... so yes ..... an EAFB or WS landing would necessitate use of the SCA.