From: root@mauve.demon.co.uk   
      
   Ian Stirling  wrote:   
   > Allen Meece  wrote:   
   >> <<>> mass per unit area -- via parachute, inverted-umbrella, whatever -- the   
   >>> reentry environment changes in a rather different way.  Reentry doesn't   
   >>> get longer or slower>>>   
   >>   
   >>   A first nasa idea for reentry was to have a big disposable heat shield   
   which   
   >> deployed a Rogallo Wing [hang glider] after the hot part was over and speed   
   was   
   >> down to 200 mph. The heat shield was parachuted to earth. The capsule hung   
   >> below the wing which was flown as a glider to a cross range runway.   
   >>   This was too cheap and simple for nasa and it would help the civilians   
   build   
   >> a CATS vessel so it was, guess what?, cancelled.   
   >>   Hey, reentry's not that hard.   
   >   
   > Reentry is quite hard.   
   > Once you'r down to 200mph, you've done the easy bit.   
      
   I think everyone realised I meant "hard bit".   
   Oops.   
      
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