Content deleted Content added
Minor mods to cost section |
|||
Line 116:
At this point the Shuttle is still slightly suborbital, since the trajectory intersects the atmosphere. The Shuttle then fires the OMS engines to circularize the orbit and avoid reentry.
One interesting safety concern during shuttle launches is that the shuttle must not be launched under conmditions where it could be struck by lightning. Airplanes are often struck by lightning with no major ill consequences because the electricity of the strike is disapated through the structure and the aircraft is not grounded from an electrical standpoint. The shuttle however sends out a long exhaust plume as it ascends and this plume actually has the ability to electrically ground the shuttle so that dangerous lightning damage may occur.
==Descent==
| |||