The information below is also available on your kneeboard during any flight of the space shuttle. Hit F-10, then click on the REFERENCE tab for an instant review at any time.

        

DO NOT USE THE AUTO PILOT FOR LANDING

THE TYPICAL AIRPORT GLIDESCOPE WILL NOT WORK FOR THE SPACE SHUTTLE AND YOU WILL CRASH!!!

There are 2 ways to fly this aircraft in the simulator:

1.) Ground take-off (has an approximate 30 second boost of thrust @350,000lbs per engine) 
 

2.) Use the pre-designed flights which place the shuttle at a predesigned re-entry point/speed @ 83,000 feet.



You will find the Space Shuttle Discovery listed in the sim under the manufacture: NASA/Boeing 



GROUND TAKE OFF: 
If you take off from the ground, DO NOT GO TO FULL THROTTLE ON THE GROUND. Here is the proceedure for ground takeoff:

1.
Release the parking brake.

2.
Leave the throttle at 0. Speed will increase down the runway. Upon rotation off the ground, slowly bring the angle of ascent up to around 25-30 degrees. MAKE SURE the landing gear is retracted as soon as you become airborne as it will blow out @ 340 knots. 

3.
Hit full throttle. (Ignore the stall warning if it sounds) 

4.
As you accelerate, slowly increase the angle to 60-80+ degrees and maintain this flight path after the engines shut down. 

5.
Start to level off when the orbiters lift velocity drops to around 1000knots. There is enough engine boost to get the orbiter to 70-90,000 feet if you ascend it correctly. If you attempt to pitch up too fast it will overstress the aircraft during boost. 

6.
If you stall out before you complete the apogee maneuver, pitch down 45 degrees until the orbiter obtains an airspeed of 285-325knots, then level off and begin your decent.

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In ANY flight scenario you must manually pilot the shuttle to a safe landing…


PLEASE READ THE NEXT SECTION CAREFULLY WHICH IS THE NASA’s DESCRIPTION ABOUT FLYING AND LANDING THE SHUTTLE. MY SUMMARY OF THIS SECTION IS LOCATED BELOW IT:

ORBITER RE-ENTRY AND LANDING:

The following information is directly from NASA and explains in exact detail the re-entry sequence of the real space shuttle. My summary follows this:

==================================================================
BEGIN REPORT:

The entry thermal control phase is designed to keep the thermal protection system's bond line within design limits. A constant heating rate is maintained until the velocity is below 19,000 feet per second. 

In the equilibrium glide phase, the orbiter effects a transition from the rapidly increasing drag levels of the temperature control phase to the constant drag level of the constant drag phase. Equilibrium glide is defined as flight in which the flight path angle, the angle between the local horizontal and the local velocity vector, remains constant. This flight regime provides the maximum downrange capability. It lasts until drag acceleration reaches 33 feet per second squared.

The constant drag phase begins at 33 feet per second squared and angle of attack is initially 40 degrees, but it begins to ramp down until it reaches approximately 36 degrees by the end of this phase.

*****SHUTTLE CHALLENGE SIMULATION BEGINS HERE******

The transition phase is entered as the angle of attack continues to ramp down, reaching about 14 degrees at TAEM interface, with the vehicle at an altitude of some 83,000 feet, traveling 2,500 feet per second (Mach 2.5), and 52 nautical miles (59 statute miles) from the runway. At this point, control is transferred to TAEM guidance. During these entry phases, the orbiter's roll commands keep the orbiter on the drag profile and control cross range. 

Between 80,000 and 60,000 feet a catastrophic mid decent stall of the orbiter can take place while this transition phase is occurring as the orbiter enters, rams and is rapidly slowed down by the thicker air atmosphere. Until the orbiter hits 60,000 feet it is kept on a 10-12 degree angle of attack and the control surface movements are kept to an absolute minimum. At approx 60,000 feet the orbiter is slowly leveled off if necessary. At 50,000 feet either level wing or a 5-8 degree angle of attack is established and held as the required glide path and decent are established. At level wing the drop rate for the orbiter is nominally 5,000+ feet per minute. The calculations for the glide based on the position are entered or transmitted into the nav system to bring the orbiter to the correct altitude and heading for the runway alignment phase.

TAEM guidance steers the orbiter to the nearest of two heading alignment cylinders, whose radii are approximately 18,000 feet and whose locations are tangent to and on either side of the runway centerline on the approach end. Normally, the software is set to fly the orbiter around the HAC on the opposite side of the extended runway centerline. This is called the overhead approach. If the orbiter is low on energy, it can be flagged to acquire the HAC on the same side of the runway. This is called the straight-in approach. In TAEM guidance, excess energy is dissipated by an S-turn, and the speed brake can be used to modify drag, lift-to-drag ratio and the flight path angle under high-energy conditions. This increases the ground track range as the orbiter turns away from the nearest HAC until sufficient energy is dissipated to allow a normal approach and landing guidance phase capture, which begins at 10,000 feet at the nominal entry point. The orbiter can also be flown near the velocity for maximum lift over drag or wings level for the range stretch case, which moves the approach and landing guidance phase to the minimum entry point.

At TAEM acquisition, the orbiter is turned until it is aimed at a point tangent to the nearest HAC and continues until it reaches way point 1. At way point 1, the TAEM heading alignment phase begins, in which the HAC is followed until landing runway alignment, plus or minus 20 degrees, is achieved. As the orbiter comes around the HAC, it should be lined up on the runway and at the proper flight path angle and airspeed to begin the steep glide slope to the runway.

In the TAEM pre-final phase, the orbiter leaves the HAC, pitches down to acquire the steep glide slope, increases airspeed and banks to acquire the runway centerline, continuing until it is on the runway centerline, on the outer glide slope and on airspeed.

The approach and landing guidance phase begins with the completion of the TAEM pre-final phase and ends when the orbiter comes to a complete stop on the runway. The approach and landing interface airspeed requirement at an altitude of 10,000 feet is approximately 290 knots, plus or minus 12 knots, equivalent airspeed, 6.9 nautical miles (7.9 statute miles) from touchdown. Auto-land guidance is initiated at this point to guide the orbiter to the minus 19- to 17-degree glide slope (which is more than seven times that of a commercial airliner's approach) aimed at a target approximately 0.86 nautical mile (1 statute mile) in front of the runway. 

The descent rate in the latter portion of TAEM and approach and landing is greater than 10,000 feet per minute (approximately 20 times higher than a commercial airliner's standard 3-degree instrument approach angle). The steep glide slope is tracked in azimuth and elevation, and the speed brake is positioned as required.

Approximately 1,750 feet above the ground, guidance sends commands to keep the orbiter tracking the runway centerline, and a pre-flare maneuver is started to position the orbiter on a shallow 1.5-degree glide slope in preparation for landing, with the speed brake positioned as required. At this point, the crew deploys the landing gear.

Final flare is begun at approximately 80 feet to reduce the sink rate of the vehicle to less than 9 feet per second. After the spacecraft crosses the runway threshold-way point 2 in the auto-land mode-navigation uses the radar altimeter vertical component of position in the state vector for guidance and navigation computations from an altitude of 100 feet to touchdown. Touchdown occurs approximately 2,500 feet past the runway threshold at a speed of 184 to 196 knots (211 to 225 mph). As the airspeed drops below 165 knots (189 mph), the orbiter begins deterioration in preparation for nose gear slap-down.


END REPORT
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Nicks Summary:

In the simulation, do the following:

You can change the HUD brightness using the shift-2, -3, -4, and shift-5 keyboard commands

At 83,000 (or so) feet the simulation begins. Un-Pause the simulation. The shuttle should be fairly stable but be ready to establish control. DO NOT make any control surface changes other than + or - pitch. After a short burst of thrust (designed to bring the orbiter up to the correct forward velocity/momentum in Flight Simulator) the airspeed starts to drop. You can ascend a bit if you like during the 8-15 second boost but DO NOT ascend past 98,000ft or you will be susceptible to the dreaded Flight Simulator errors at the 100,000ft limit. 

As airspeed starts drop from Mach 3, you can hold level wing for a period of time but as speed drops you will need to set your angle of attack to approximately minus 10-12 degrees. Do not attempt to level off or pull up (less than minus 8-10 degree angle of attack) before 55-60,000 feet or a critical stall can occur while the orbiter rapidly decelerates and rams the heavier air in the upper atmosphere. DO NOT make control surface moves other than + and - pitch during this phase of re-entry.

At 58-55,000 feet level off or stabilize a 5-8 degree angle of attack and get your bearings as to the location and direction to runway acquisition. Use the GPS or other utility you may have to locate the runways. Set your course and decent angle to accommodate your position relative to where you will need to acquire the correct altitude and angle of attack for the runway approach. 

Because of the static pitch, the nose of the shuttle is pointed properly at approx .86 statute miles before the runway @ 10,000ft and 6.9 nautical miles distance when the HUD’s (approx) -8 degree pitch line indication is matched to the beginning of the runway and you are descending at a minus 17-22 degree angle of attack. If you are not obtaining this position (or close) on the HUD, you started your decent either too soon or too late. Being too late is better than being too soon. A steeper angle of attack is more acceptable and workable than a shallow angle of less than 15 degrees. 

Set the speed brake so the orbiter maintains around 300knots (+-10 knots) Higher is better if you are not use to landing the orbiter. Line up the runway maintaining the HUD at approximate -8 degree line at the beginning of the runway. At approximately 3000ft, release the speed brake completely but continue the angle of attack.

At 1850-1750ft gently pull up and stabilize to a +1.5 degree runway alignment fight path. How fast you pull up here is determined by your distance from the runway. You will have to make that call based on your flight experience. Drop the landing gear, which will NOT deploy above 320knots, (blowout is @ 340kts) and will take about 12 seconds to down and lock. 

Final line up for the runway… This will happen very FAST so be ready! Carefully monitor your airspeed as it will begin to rapidly drop due to the airframe design and weight of the orbiter. Stall speed is 160knots however keep in mind this aircraft does not “glide” for very long and its mass will cause it to slow quickly. Keep airspeed at around 235-215 as you start to drop into the runway. The final flair will do the rest.

When the orbiter is positioned correctly for touchdown, flair up to +8 to10 degrees. You will not be able to see the runway at this point. The goal is to touch down at around or just over a 9-18fpm drop rate. Use the speed brake to slow you down and drop.

Textbook touchdown should be between 184-196knots however with the correct angle of attack, proper runway alignment and different +/- flair maneuvers you can successfully land between 165 and 225knots. The tires may blow out at 235kts. 

SET the speed brake scale to 100% (on the ground). It is set to simulate the proper drag chute resistance and at the same time provide a close to accurate flight drag during its use. 

Keep the nose gear off the ground till the orbiter ground speed is under 150kts, then gently drop the nose to the ground.

The above tips should provide you with all the information necessary to land the shuttle safely. The rest is flight skill



It’s your ship now. Your crew is counting on you to get them home safely.


Keep in mind the toe brake scale is set to properly simulate the shuttles enormous weight and forward velocity as it rolls down the runway. It will NOT slow down rapidly AND you must have the speed brake on @ 100% to stop!


The runway towers at KSC and Edwards have been set in the simulation at +40ft positioned directly beside the runways to give you a good show of your accomplishment. You can change this location if you wish prior to un-pausing the beginning of the scenario. 
