From: snidely.too@gmail.com   
      
   Snidely used thar keyboard to writen:   
   > On Monday or thereabouts, Snidely asked ...   
   >> Monday, Snidely murmurred ...   
   >>> JF Mezei suggested that ...   
   >>>> Looking at Inspiration4 landing.   
   >>>> They were the highest a human has been since last Hubble repaid mission   
   >>>> (and may have been higher).   
   >>>>   
   >>>> They jettisomed the "trunk" before de-orbit burn.  Is this SOP for   
   >>>> Dragon or special for this mission?   By detaching before de-orbit,   
   >>>> doesn't that create space debris with trucnk staying high up for a long   
   >>>> time (since that orbit was bery high) ?   
   >>>>   
   >>>> I was under the impression the standard was to fire de-orbit engines and   
   >>>> then separate which ensures both portions de-orbit with the capsule   
   >>>> distancing itself from the trunk/service module as soon as aerodynamics   
   >>>> kick in.   
   >>>   
   >>> This evening, we're expecting /Endeavour/ to proceed through trunk   
   >>> separation, nosecone closure, and the deorbit burn.   
   >>>   
   >>> [Crew2 just got "Dragon is go for undocking"]   
   >>   
   >> Fly around complete, now in free flight, with the departure phasing burn   
   >> next.   
   >   
   > That was done, now claw separation confirmed, and then "Nominal trunk   
   > jettison"   
   >   
      
   [This reduces the mass the Dracos have to apply delta-vee to, as well   
   as reducing the parachute load]   
      
   "de-orbit burn complete, performance nominal, [nose cone] closure   
   intiated"   
      
   [de-orbit burn was about 15 minutes]   
      
   -d   
      
   --   
   "I am not given to exaggeration, and when I say a thing I mean it"   
      _Roughing It_, Mark Twain   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)