From: nognog@adelphia.net   
      
   "nmp"  wrote in message   
   news:pan.2005.08.14.11.24.03.648615@is.invalid...   
   > Op Thu, 11 Aug 2005 10:28:59 -0400, schreef Nog:   
   >   
   >> Can the shuttle fly like a plane?   
   >   
   > The Orbiter you mean? No, it cannot.   
   >   
   >> I mean take off from a runway, fly around and land again. Could you fly   
   >> it, for instance, from California to Florida? With the engines it has   
   >> and onboard fuel capacity I suspect it could   
   >   
   > The Orbiter has no fuel capacity to speak of. And it's main engines are   
   > designed to suck a huge external tank dry in just 8.5 minutes, the time   
   > required to reach orbit at around 30.000 km/h. It's either all or nothing   
   > with that sort of engine.   
   >   
   >> but don't know why they piggy back it on a 747 to move it.   
   >   
   > Now you do.   
      
   Well it appears, from the external cameras, that the engines are still   
   running when the external tank is ejected. And they do have throttles since   
   you hear them going with throttle down and throttle up.   
      
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