CALYK@aol.com wrote:
>What happens when the Rotons dont work? its doomed.
At a guess it hits the ground at around 200mph, the empty fuel tanks crush, absorbing most of the impact, the crew get airlifted to hospital.
>If a shuttle loses its
>landing gear it can still land,
AFAIR the shuttle breaks in two at the front of the payload bay, and the crew compartment tumbles down the runway. The official policy would be to jump out of the shuttle and come down by parachute, but since the landing gear isn't lowered until a few seconds before impact, that's a bit tricky.
> but then again when has a shuttle lost its
>landing gear?
AFAIR one emergency lowering when the hydraulics failed (in fact I think they always blow the pyrotechnic charges now just in case), a couple of close calls, and numerous blown tires due to wheel locking.
Mark