NASA Facts

www.nasa.gov

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Landing the Space Shuttle Orbiter

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Orbiter Discovery touches down on runway 33 at KSCs Shuttle Landing Facility,

successfully completing mission STS-95 in 1998.

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Landing History
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The figures above for a KSC landing are approximate.

They will vary for each mission, depending on several
factors. In this case, the returning orbiter weighs less
than 220,000 pounds (99,792 kilograms) and the glideslope approach is 20 degrees.

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Returning From Space

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20,865 km
(12,966 miles)

Deorbit Burn
60 min. to Touchdown
282 km (175 miles)
26,498 km/h (16,465 mph)
Entry Interface
31 min. to Touchdown
122 km (76 miles)
25,898 km/h (16,093 mph)

20o Glide/Slope

2,856 km
(1,775 miles)

Maximum Heating
20 min. to Touchdown
70 km (43.5 miles)
24,200 km/h (15,038 mph)
Exit Blackout
12 min. to Touchdown
55 km (34 miles)
13,317 km/h (8,275 mph)
Terminal Area
Energy Management
5.5 min. to Touchdown
25,338 M (83,134 ft.)
2,735 km/h (1,700 mph)
Approach and Landing
86 sec. to Touchdown
12 km (7.5 miles) to Runway
682 km/h (424 mph)

Approach and Landing Interface

86 sec. to Touchdown
12 km (7.5 miles) to Runway
682 km/h (424 mph)
3,048 M (10,000 ft.) Altitude

885 km
(550 miles)

96 km
(60 miles)

12 km
(7.5 miles)

Deorbit Maneuver to Approach and

Landing Interface Events

Initiate Preflare
32 sec. to Touchdown
3.2 km (2 miles) to Runway
565 km/h (351 mph)
Flare to 1.5 o
533 M (1,749 ft.) Altitude
Complete Preflare
17 sec. to Touchdown
1,079 M (3,540 ft.) to Runway
496 km/h (308 mph)
41 M (134.5 ft.) Altitude
Wheels Down
14 sec. to Touchdown
335 M (1,099 ft.) to Runway
430 km/h (267 mph)
27 M (89 ft.) Altitude

1.5 o Glide/Slope

Touchdown
689 M (2,261 ft.)
from End of Runway
346 km/h (215 mph)

Approach and Landing Interface

to Touchdown Events

These two charts represent an example of the sequence of events or flight milestones from the deorbit maneuver of
the orbiter through touchdown. The times, distances and speeds will vary for different missions, according to a variety
of factors such as mission inclination, trajectory and glide slope.

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NASA: Explore. Discover. Understand.

FS-2000-05-30-KSC

John F. Kennedy Space Center