Manual Shuttle control

[rucinter]

When does an actual Space Shuttle use manual control? I'm guessing during rendezvous, final landing approach and orbit correction. Am I missing something?

 

[Urwumpe]

When does an actual Space Shuttle use manual control? I'm guessing during rendezvous, final landing approach and orbit correction. Am I missing something?

Yes, a lot of it is effectively manual, especially rendezvous and docking is a manual control heavy. But orbit corrections are done by autopilot, only small RCS firings happen manually (with the autopilot doing the counting of the thrust pulses).

Most of the time though, you just program the autopilot to hold an attitude or execute a maneuver.

 

[rucinter]

Any idea about the altitude where they switch from autopilot to manual, during descent? Or distance to ISS, for a docking procedure?

During launch, is everything autopiloted until (and after) they reach orbit? Ascent, orbit sync, ISS approach?

 

[garyw]

Any idea about the altitude where they switch from autopilot to manual, during descent? Or distance to ISS, for a docking procedure?

During the decent it's normally 100,000feet or so, from there on the CDR will fly by hand using cues provided by ground equipment such as TACAS.

The TI burn is programmed, after that I'm not sure where the switch to manual occurs, the RPM and final approach to docking are all hand-flown.

During launch, is everything autopiloted until (and after) they reach orbit? Ascent, orbit sync, ISS approach?

Launch is controlled by the GPC's until ET Sep, depending on lighting conditions both the +X and pitch manoeuvres are hand flown.

 

[Urwumpe]

Any idea about the altitude where they switch from autopilot to manual, during descent?

Shortly before entering the HAC turn, at Mach 1.0.

Or distance to ISS, for a docking procedure?

After the Terminal Intercept burn - from this point on, the shuttle has many manual operations, only the pointing at the space station is done by autopilot, just like the RPM.

During launch, is everything autopiloted until (and after) they reach orbit? Ascent, orbit sync, ISS approach?

All automatic until separation of the external tank. The final one or two burns for orbit insertion (OMS-1/OMS-2) are initiated manually, but executed by the Powered Explicit Guidance. You don't even enter the numbers manually, but load the targets for the guidance from memory.

Almost all abort maneuvers during launch require manual control in it. Not the whole time, but at least one manual control step exists.

 

[rucinter]

Great, thanks for all the info!

---------- Post added at 16:44 ---------- Previous post was at 14:12 ----------

So, if I would like to fly the Shuttle in Orbiter, what would you recommend? Stock Atlantis orbiter, SSU or Shuttle Fleet? I would like as much realism as possible, but I'm also a newbie. I know how to reach orbit and I got really close to ISS, in one continuous try, with DGIV.

 

[Urwumpe]

So, if I would like to fly the Shuttle in Orbiter, what would you recommend? Stock Atlantis orbiter, SSU or Shuttle Fleet? I would like as much realism as possible, but I'm also a newbie. I know how to reach orbit and I got really close to ISS, in one continuous try, with DGIV.

Forget realism if you are a Newbie. Realism means you need to know what you are doing, and you are able to do this. Other than real Shuttle missions, you won't have a whole spaceflight agency helping you.

Better start with Shuttle Fleet and try out SSU, once you have done some complete missions with shuttle Fleet and want to try something unfinished, but cool.

You can fly Shuttle Fleet still without the checklists, just by reading the manual, for SSU you need to be able to read the NASA checklists AND the manual, and have a deep knowledge of the Shuttle operations, ideally by reading the astronaut workbooks that NASA has published.

It is no easy thing and can become very frustrating, especially since there are still many things missing. SSU is currently not really recommended for just flying around, it is better for people who also want to improve it, when they feel something is missing. In my most depressive moments, it is eternal work in progress, with each finished feature and simulation meaning five new features appearing on the horizon.

You can get the Shuttle checklists and workbooks here:
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/news/flightdatafiles/index.html

 

[rucinter]

Roger that, thank you!

 

[rucinter]

Why is ISS missing from orbit when launching a shuttle? (Atlantis from the stock Orbiter or using Shuttle Fleet add-on). It's impossible to have shuttle - ISS approach and dock scenarios?

 

[Urwumpe]

Why is ISS missing from orbit when launching a shuttle? (Atlantis from the stock Orbiter or using Shuttle Fleet add-on). It's impossible to have shuttle - ISS approach and dock scenarios?

sounds like a bad install.