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  Fastest and highest space shuttle flights

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Author Topic:   Fastest and highest space shuttle flights
David C
Member

Posts: 1015
From: Lausanne
Registered: Apr 2012

posted 09-28-2016 03:51 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for David C     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Can anyone confirm the fastest speeds and highest altitudes achieved by an orbiter during the space shuttle program?

I'm not interested in FAI records (if any), just the actual fastest and highest. The numbers that I have are 26,120 feet per second on STS-31 (tied by STS-82) and 335.1 nautical miles on STS-82, both by Discovery.

india-mike
Member

Posts: 76
From: Linnich, Northrine Westfalia, Germany
Registered: Jan 2012

posted 09-28-2016 04:29 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for india-mike   Click Here to Email india-mike     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
You are correct. The highest altitudes during the space shuttle program were those performed in the Hubble Space Telescope missions.

STS-31 delivered the HST in its orbit. STS-61, STS-82, STS-103, STS-109 and STS-125 were the Hubble Space Telescope servicing missions that had almost the same altitudes.

Of course due to the aerodynamic drag caused by the Earth's atmosphere, the orbit of the HST was lowered over the time. After servicing the telescope on each of the space shuttle missions thereafter, the orbit was raised by the shuttle and the telescope was released in a higher orbit again.

All times are CT (US)

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