Docking: 210 Nautical Mile in Space. ------------------------------------ Objective: You are attempting to dock with a satellite that is traveling at Mach 23.9, several hundred nautical miles above the Earth. You will have to slow down or speed up to reduce distance (X axis) to 0. Also you will have to be at the same altitude (Z axis) and position (Y axis). All of these movements are interrelated - changing one can affect the others. And in flight mode #3, time is important because the longer you take, the more fuel you consume. To save fuel, tap the joystick instead of holding it in a control position. Docking Checklist. ------------------ Maneuvering in Space: There are 2 different ways to maneuver the shuttle in orbit. For major maneuvers (30 nautical miles or more), the Orbit Maneuvering System (OMS) can be used. This system takes some study and experience to use effectively. So when first starting out, use the Reaction Control System (RCS). Its clusters of rocket engines in the shuttle's nose and tail can move the shuttle about its three major axes (X, Y, Z). - To use the OMS, press "R" to activate ROT (rotational engine). Lean joystick left or right to affect Yaw, forward or back to affect Pitch. Press fire button to fire engine. - To use RCS, press "T" to activate TRH (transitional engine). Lean joystick left or right to affect Y axis, forward or back to affect speed (and X axis), forward or back while pressing fire button to affect altitude (Z axis). Shuttle Speed and Position: Speed is just as important as position. Never allow your speed to drop below Mach 170 or your altitude to fall below 195 nautical miles, or you'll burn up in the atmosphere! Your X axis relationship to the satellite depends on your speed, which is affected by your engine. To overtake the satellite when it is ahead of you (when the X axis value is positive), your speed must be greater than 23.9. As you make your final approach t the satellite, keep speed close to Mach 23.9 Drifting: As you near the satellite, continually recheck all axes. The satellite's movement is erractic, settings will shift. When RCS is active (TRN is on), press "X", "Y", or "Z" to display current status of those axes. Press the SPACEBAR at any time to check position, remaining fuel, mission elapsed time, and pitch and yaw. "S" Curve: On the Ground Track Screen, the "S" line indicates both the satellite's and the shuttle's ground track around the Earth. The shuttle's position is the solid dot, the flashing dot is the target satellite. Notice as you track the satellite, that your X axis (distance between shuttle and satellite) will suddenly change significantly as the satellite wraps around the tracking line. This is because the orbital tracking line wraps around the display as a real orbit would wrap around the earth. Docking Screen: Use the "S" curve screen until you get fairly close to the satellite. Then 2 smaller radar screens will appear. The left screen shows your Z axis (up-down), and a wide view of your Y axis (left-right). The right screen, which you'll use more, shows the X axis and micro (close in) Y axis. Satellite Sighting: When you see the satellite, prepare to conduct close range maneuvers with the RCS (TRN engine on). Multiple Docking: Every time you dock (in flight #3), you receive a "Rendezvous" signal and some additional fuel units. Each additional docking becomes more difficult, so the amount of fuel you get increases. After each rendezvous, the satellite moves away from the shuttle. Wait until it is at least 80 units (X axis) away before attempting to dock again, or the satellite will interfere with the shuttle's signals. Docking Sequence: Match the position of the shuttle with that of the satellite by correcting Z, Y and X axes, preferably in that order. 1) Press "T" to activate RCS Transitional. 2) Correct Z axis to 0. Press button and move joystick forward or back. A negative number means the satellite is below you. A positive number means the satellite is above you. A zero reading means you altitude is the same as the satellites's. 3) Correct Y axis to 0. Move joystick to the right or left. A positive number means the satellite is right of you. A negative number means the satellite is to the left of you. 4) Correct X axis. Move the joystick forward or back. A positive number shows the distance, in units, that the satellite is ahead of you. A negative number shows units the satellite is behind you. To increase shuttle speed, move joystick. Likewise, move joystick back to decrease speed. The satellite's speed is Mach 23.9. 5) When you meet the satellite, all axes must be adjusted to 0 and stabilized for 2 seconds. Then you will receive a "Rendezvous" signal, indicating that you've docked. Deorbit Burn. ------------- Objective: To turn shuttle around, fire engines and decelerate to the correct speed for leaving orbit. This is one of the most critical phases of you flight. During deorbit operations, the shuttle is oriented to a tail-first altitude, decelerating to reentry speed by the powerful OMS engine, then turned around to a nose-first altitude. You begin to lose altitude when you've slowed the shuttle down below the speed needed to sustain orbit at 210 nautical miles. Deorbit Burn Maneuver: First you must turn the shuttle around so this it is traveling tailfirst. Then in order to maintain the correct altitude, set your Z axis and pitch. Once this maneuver is completed, fire the engine to decelerate. If the Z axis and pitch are not set correctly, firing the engine will make you shuttle climb or dive. After the deorbit burn, the shuttle must then be reoriented nose-first to the correct altitude. Entering the atmosphere backwards will cause the shuttle to burn up! Yaw: Left-right rotation of the nose of the shuttle. Sequence for Deorbit Burn: 1) Adjust Z axis until altitude reads 210. 2) Pull joystick back or push forward to set speed to Mach 23.9. 3) Press "R" to activate OMS (rotational). 4) Turn shuttle around completely. Move joystick left or right to set Yaw at 180. 5) Set pitch at -004. 6) Press joystick button until speed is Mach 19.0. 7) Turn shuttle around nose-first be setting Yaw to 0. Reentry. -------- Objective: To establish and maintain the correct pitch, yaw and speed, follow the correct trajectory, and properly manage heat build-up during reentry. There are 3 important stages to reentry: Entry interface, TAEM and LOS. Position, altitude, velocity, and heading must all be exact to both to manage the tremendous heat buildup and correctly position your shuttle for the final approach. Entry Interface: This is the point in your flight where atmospheric entry officially begins. As the shuttle descends, atmospheric drag dissipates tremendous energy, generating a great deal of heat. This heat quickly builds up. Pitch and speed must be correct to utilize the shuttle's thermal protection system. Terminal Area Energy Management: After entry interface, you must closely follow the proper descent trajectory in order to maintain enough altitude and speed to reach the final touchdown point. This process of conserving your energy by maintaining the correct position, altitude, velocity and heading is called Terminal Area Energy Management (TAEM). Loss of Signal: During reentry, the shuttle superheats the gas of the upper atmosphere creating flashes of color outside your window. Heat strips electrons from the air around the shuttle., enveloping it in a sheath of ionized air that blocks all communications with the ground. So at 140 miles, you will experience a temporary partial loss of signal (LOS). Keep a close eye on your radar at this point. You will receive intermittent signals which you need to use to correct your course and plane. Descent Screens: On your reentry screen, "X" indicates cut-off of your OMS engines (deorbit burn). "T" indicates the terminal area energy management phase. "L" indicates your transition to final landing approach. The small box at left is your plane indicator. Reentry Sequence: 1) Pull back joystick to set +24 pitch for proper reentry altitude. 2) Close cargo bay doors. 3) Follow reentry course on computer screen. Pull stick back to go right. Push forward to go left. Left and right on the stick centers plane. Landing: Edwards Air Force Base. -------------------------------- Landing Sequence: 1) Watch for the runway. Use the right radar screen to maintain alignment. 2) Follow final approach course on both computer screens. Left screen: keep dot centered between the two arched lines. Right screen: keep dot centered on straight runway approach line. Pull Joystick back to raise nose (slow decent). Push joystick left or right to keep dot centered. 3) When range become negative, you're over the runway, just seconds from touchdown, so drop landing gear now. 4) Push joystick forward to lower nose. 5) When the shuttle hits the runway, your nose will prop up, so keep your joystick pushed forward to keep nose down until you hear the thud of the front landing gear. Stat Messages. -------------- Message Message or Number Action Needed ----------------------------------------------------- 100 Not lined up with runway on touchdown. 150 Touchdown too early (hit desert). 200 Touchdown too late (over-shot runway). 300 Nose gear not down at end of runway. 350 Off course at start of banking turn. 400 Landing gear not down at touchdown. 500 Cargo bay doors not closed at ascent or reentry. 550 Pitch is greater that +24 on reetry (skip into space). 600 Pitch less than +24 on reentry (burn up). 650 Yaw not 0 at reentry. 700 Altitude too low to sustain orbit (below 195). 750 Altitude too high (255 miles max). 800 Speed too low to sustain orbit (below mach 17.0). 850 Cargo bay doors not open during orbit (overheat). 900 Orbit insertion angle incorrect at MECO. 950 Speed/altitude too low to attain orbit at MECO. 990 Out of fuel. 1-99 Number of dockings. Also many appear as the last digit of a mission abort stat. Acronym List. ------------- AX Axis ALT Altitude FLT Flight MET Mission Elapsed Time MECO Main Engine Cut Off OMS Orbital Maneuvering System RCS Reaction Control System RNG Range SRB Solid Rocket Booster SP/M Speed in Mach SSME Space Shuttle Main Engine STS Space Transportation System TAEM Terminal Area Energy Management DAP Digital Auto Pilot -the Disk Jockey-