Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Path: utzoo!henry
From: henry@zoo.toronto.edu (Henry Spencer)
Subject: Re: Computer Controlled Landing?
Message-ID: <1991Mar23.232420.11566@zoo.toronto.edu>
Date: Sat, 23 Mar 1991 23:24:20 GMT
References: <1991Mar22.210230.8265@umiami.ir.miami.edu>
Organization: U of Toronto Zoology

In article <1991Mar22.210230.8265@umiami.ir.miami.edu> jdeitch@umiami.ir.miami.edu (Jonathan Deitch) writes:
>... You could use a preprogrammed re-entry
>program (due to the ionization radio blackout) for reentry...

Actually, there is no radio blackout any more.  The plasma sheath blocks
radio waves only on the forward and downward faces of a reentering craft;
antennas pointed *up* work fine, so reentry communications are quite
feasible via relay satellite.

(Note, however, that this adds extra communications delays to any remote-
piloting scheme.)
-- 
"[Some people] positively *wish* to     | Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology
believe ill of the modern world."-R.Peto|  henry@zoo.toronto.edu  utzoo!henry
