From: g_d_pusch_remove_underscores@xnet.com   
   Copy: dynamics@vianet.on.ca   
      
   dynamics@vianet.on.ca (Ken S. Tucker) writes:   
      
   > If you look at the Columbia ascent problem, the left   
   > wing became the hazard by yawing and rolling the   
   > orbiter beyond safe conditions. At that point it would   
   > be better to discard both wings (explosive bolts) and   
   > return within the remaining capsule. I would think the   
   > wingless orbiter would extend it's flight to well beyond   
   > KSFC, giving the crew a bailout option over the   
   > Atlantic,   
      
   ...Except that without wings, the bare orbiter fuselage would be unstable,   
   and the re-entry plasma would be eating through the unprotected scars left   
   by the wing roots. Cutting loose the crew cabin would result in similar   
   stability and thermal protection problems...   
      
      
   -- Gordon D. Pusch   
      
   perl -e '$_ = "gdpusch\@NO.xnet.SPAM.com\n"; s/NO\.//; s/SPAM\.//; print;'   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)