A Safe Landing

The shuttle did land safely in California yesterday. I listened to the arrival on NPR, and was struck by how quickly it reached the ground once it entered Earth's atmosphere. I was anticipating a thirty minute descent, and it was more like ten minutes.

The radio commentator said that while the shuttle acts like a glider near the landing, it actually falls like a very heavy brick. With wings.

Hoping for a Safe Return II

The shuttle didn't land today. NASA postponed the landing due to "unstable" weather. Shouldn't they worry about re-entry first, and then worry about the weather at the landing site? I thought the shuttle could land on any runway?

Hoping for a Safe Return

I'm hoping for a safe return of the space shuttle tomorrow morning. In various news reports, I learned that it could arrive in Florida as early as 5AM. So when I get up, I am expecting news of a safe and normal landing.