[ATMoB-discuss] Re: [At Mob-discuss] Re: Shuttle launch

[valleli at rcn.com]

Sure, Jeff.
If you understand Great Circle Routes for aircraft travel, it's easy.
The HISS is orbiting at an inclination of 51 degrees to the equator, making it accessible to both American and Russian launch sites. 
On a globe lay a string from Cape Canaveral to just east of Newfoundland. This northeast launch track avoids all land masses and population centers. It passes about 150 miles east of Cape Cod ( +/- depending on launch parameters). Since the shuttle is still ascending to orbit and is at an altitude of about 80 miles, it is placed very low on the SE horizon from Boston for its closest approach. 
With optical aid, an ocean horizon, or viewing from a high altitude aircraft (32,000 ft.), the shuttle will appear in the SW ( the azimuth direction to Virginia and Florida)and ascend as it makes its Northeast track. The solid rockets burn out off the coast of Georgia, so there is no hope of seeing their bright flames and smoke trail. 
The shuttle keeps ascending to orbit but the orange fuel tank becomes depleted around the point of passing by the coast of NTH / ME. It drops into the sea before reaching England. 
At that point the track begins to descend toward the equator. 
At one point in the shuttle launch plan, Otis AFB was considered as an emergency landing field. It would require a lot of cross track manouevering westward to get there.
  
If the shuttle passed over Cape Cod it would appear overhead at alt. 90 deg. but would endanger cities along that route, should there be a malfunction.

Last spring, the last Titan IV Lacrosse launch was to a higher inclination, putting it at an altitude of 30+ degrees.
A series of time exposures detected five sections of the rocket and we saw separation of the payload. 

Early in the Space Age, 1958 - 1981, America mostly launched to 30 degree inclinations and New Englanders were only able to see Russian and Military Satellites. 

Now draw a great circle for a southeast launch at azimuth 90 + 51 = 141 degs. from Cape Canaveral. Note that early-on in a launch, the shuttle would pass over Cuba, the Caribbean, and South America. That would endanger millions of people also.

On the west coast, Vandenberg AFB is also on a Cape and can launch due South without endangering lots of people. I once saw a night launch on a plane from LA to Frisco. Quite a spectacle!

Paul ( Operation Moonwatch, Cambridge)