Space shuttle digital flight control system
The space shuttle digital, fly by wire, flight control system presents an interesting challenge in avionics system design. In residence in each of four redundant general purpose computers at lift off are the guidance, navigation, and control algorithms for the entire flight. The mission is divided into several flight segments: first stage ascent, second stage ascent; abort to launch site, abort once around; on orbit operations, entry, terminal area energy management; and approach and landing. The FCS is complicated in that it must perform the functions to fly the shuttle as a boost vehicle, as a spacecraft, as a reentry vehicle, and as a conventional aircraft. The crew is provided with both manual and automatic modes of operations in all flight phases including touchdown and rollout.
Related Space Shuttle Documents
A Compilation of Space Shuttle Sonic Boom Measurements
Sonic boom measurements have been obtained on 26 flights of the Space Shuttle system beginning with the launch of STS-1 on April 12, 1981, to the reentry-descent of STS-41 into EAFB on Oct. 10, 1990.
A high angle of attack inviscid shuttle orbiter computation
As a preliminary step toward predicting the leeside thermal environment for winged reentry vehicles at flight conditions, a computational solution for the flow about the Shuttle Orbiter at wind tunnel
A radiant heating test facility for space shuttle orbiter thermal protection system certification
A large scale radiant heating test facility was constructed so that thermal certification tests can be performed on the new generation of thermal protection systems developed for the space shuttle orb