Posts: 246
From: Hudson, MA
Registered: Jul 2005

posted March 10, 2008 02:08 PM            

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This video of Atlantis STS-122 shows what it looks like from inside the flight deck of the shuttle on final landing approach to KSC, but the view from the shuttle ends prior to landing. Does anyone know if NASA has video showing this view all the way to wheels stop? And perhaps from earlier in the descent?

Also can anyone explain the HUD markings (obviously I'm not a fighter pilot). I assume the numbers on the very left are IAS (i.e. 310 knots). And on the right is glide angle (i.e. -25)?

Thanks
Paul

Posts: 83
From: Norway
Registered: Dec 2006

posted March 10, 2008 02:59 PM               

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The numbers to the right is the altitude of the shuttle. The horizontal lines with numbers on the sides shows the attitude. The cross on the upper part of the HUD is called a boresight, which essentially is an extension of the orbiters X-axis. The circle with the three lines sticking out of it is known as the shuttle bug and is where the orbiter is headed. Then there is what starts off as a square and then becomes a circle, if I'm correct, with triangles on the sides. This is referred to as the guidance diamond and tells the CDR and PLT where the computers wants the CDR/PLT to fly the orbiter to, and to do that he/she tries to keep the shuttle bug on the diamond.

At 4000 feet the HUD is decluttered and then the flare triangles start moving upwards and at roughly 1800 feet lines up with the shuttle bug and the CDR initates the pre-flare, which the triangles help guide.

Posts: 49
From: Homestead, FL USA
Registered: Apr 2005