Shuttle practise at RAF Fairford
 

Interesting article about receiving an aborted Space Shuttle launch at RAF Fairford, does anyone know how the airspace would be cleared to allow the shuttle in? It seems that time would be very short and I'm not sure it would be achievable.

http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123076617

It seems to me that the procedures used to clear the airspace will be fairly limited, since the expected approach path is predictable. And since it is from the west (I imagine...) then it doesn't cross the overhead of any major london airport.

Of course, based on my experience they may need to route via BCN to get clearance from Cardiff to cross N864/N862. Even then they will probably be filed against...:E

Wasn't/isn't Finningley a relief landing ground for the shuttle too?

- and 280 or below at BCN for sector liaison, of course.:)

Champagne,

Greenham Common was (and Machrahanish?).

Basics Guys,

Steam gives way to sail!! OR, a glider gets priority over a powered machine. It may be big but it is a glider.

If it was going to use a UK airfield of any sort it would probably be an emergency, don't you think?? ie; some sort of priority handling!!

Hows about 250kts below 10'000??

keep the imagination going.

"Discovery is a type Space Shuttle, routing Florida direct Fairford, currently north of the Azores, 200,000 feet on QNH 1003, estimate Fairford momentarily, request joining instructions."

A trans-Atlantic abort has got to be pretty sporty :ok:

V1R

I believe that the use of RAF Fairford as a landing-ground for the Space Shuttle only relates to an abort during its launch from Florida. Moron in Spain, somewhere in Morocco (can't remember name just now) and Ascension island are also 'used'/available. They are known as TLAs - Trans-Atlantic Launch Aborts

All the launches from Florida climb rapidly to the north-east, heading towards Europe.
I seem to remember that there are three different launch profiles, depending upon their planned orbit -
28 degree orbit - TLAs Ascension and Morocco
38 degree orbit - TLAs Morocco and Moron
51 degree orbit - TLAs Moron and Fairford

If there was a reason to abort the launch after lift-off they would head for the most suitable place, and they wouldn't be too bothered about ATC comms, they would be rather busy!

For what its worth, the '51 degree' orbit is the one that goes to the ISS, and 18-20 minutes after launch the Shuttle and main-tank overfly the southern UK and much of Europe, and with a clear sky are very visible. With a little bit of preparation you can also hear them (briefly) on the UHF radio in your aircraft.

24 mins, from launch to wheels down, I believe.

Do they carry passports, or would the Immigration folks just let them in anyway?

Finningley definitely used to be down for Shuttle diverts. I remember the article in the local rag when it was officially stood down from the role.

Am I the only one who finds these contingency plans a little optimistic?

Yes, it's sensible to have a get out plan for every occasion you can think of, but at the same time the chances of a failure occurring during launch from which the solution is a trans-atlantic launch abort are rather slim.

The carry on to orbit (minor techical hitch) or err.. holistic system failure are more likely.

They're bloody lucky the FAA allows them to launch themselves above FL280, being non-RVSM and all...

No more optimistic than Alistair Darling buying a 2008 diary.

You have to take these measures in case the worse happens (i.e. Darling stays in office).

American TV allows you to listen to their R/T. I seem to remember they passed the shuttle different diversions at different phases of the launch. In this case it was Zaragoza, which the crew acknowledged.

The time from first call to landing is only 10 minutes and the speed with be between M2.0 and M1.0 until it hits the timing circle. All they could aim for would be to get all airborne aircraft out of a circle radius 30nm based on Fairford to avoid the brick coming down......

NOTAM from 1992:.......

b. Any arrival of the shuttle aircraft at RAF Fairford will be an emergency situation.

c. The aircaft will contact RAF Fairford on frequency 243.0 Mhz 10 minutes prior to landing. It will remain on this frequency until landing.

d. The shuttle aircraft is NOT transponder equipped.

e. The shuttle aircraft CANNOT accept vectors for any reason.

f. Traffic information is not wanted by the shuttle crew.

g. The sponsor will maintain an open line of communication with RAF Fairford from launch until launch +10 minutes when vulnerability has passed for the launch phase.......

The diagram shows the classic shuttle descent into the timing circle with the shuttle passing FL600 about 35nm out and FL300 about 10nm out.

IIRC it was only ever an option for a launch into a polar orbit, which is not planned for any of the remaining shuttle missions.

It'll all be going swimmingly, and then they'll be totally buggered right at the end when told to set the QFE......:ok:

CG

Is it true that if they did manage to get into Fairford successfully, there is no means of getting the thing out of there.
Apparently if it did happen they would have to build a new road into the base to get a big enough crane onto site to lift it onto the 747 transport vehicle?

There's also no crane in the UK big enough to lift it so they'd need to ship one in and then build it.

The max weight of the orbiter in an emergency landing is 240K lbs/120 tons. Loads of wheeled cranes capable of lifting it. but they'd fly in and assemble their lifting derrick to do the job and then position the 747 underneath it.

Well, they won't be needing anything bigger than bin-bags and shovels to shift it in that situation...and a JCB or two to fill up the hole in Oxfordshire afterwards.