Shuttle Commander: Landing Atlantis Was Like Flying a Gulfstream
Landing the Space Shuttle – A Flying Machine and the Thrill of a Lifetime
Charlie Precourt, a former NASA chief astronaut, describes landing the space shuttle Atlantis from the commander's seat. He explains how a modified Gulfstream G-II with thrust reversers simulated the shuttle's steep 20-degree dive, requiring 1,000 practice approaches before commanding a mission. The account captures the precision and thrill of a dead-stick landing at 195 knots, including a funny moment when his daughter thought he would miss the runway.
This thing really is a flying brick — our lift to drag ratio at this point was only 4.5 to 1.
- mrtomservo
This was a long time ago, and I could be paraphrasing, but I recall someone (who knew about such things) saying the Space Shuttle was famous for having "the grace and aerodynamic properties of a pair of pliers."
- bramhaag
Related: How to Land the Space Shuttle... from Space https://youtu.be/Jb4prVsXkZU
- Founderarcstone
I look forward to space shuttle advancements and one day commercial travel to the moon!