Jim Maybe this is outdated info but this is what is currently displayed on the NASA site http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/reference/shutref/events/entry/ "At approximately 265,000 feet, the spacecraft enters a communications blackout, which lasts until the orbiter reaches an altitude of approximately 162,000 feet. Between these altitudes, heat is generated as the spacecraft enters the atmosphere, ionizing atoms of air that form a layer of ionized gas particles around the spacecraft. Radio signals between the spacecraft and the ground cannot penetrate this sheath of ionized particles, and radio communications are blocked for approximately 16 minutes. " I would treat this as a "rumor" since it has not been repeated, but one of the CNN guys said telemetry showed pressure rising in one of the Shuttle tires before loss of communications. Dale > -----Original Message----- > From: Jim Scotti [mailto:jscotti@jupiter.lpl.Arizona.EDU] > > There is no blackout period for the space shuttle. They can communicate > through what used to be communication blackouts during Apollo, Gemini & > Mercury by transmitting up to the TDRSS satellites. From what I've heard > (and that isn't much), they were in contact up to the moment it > was lost and > hopefully they will be able to use telemetry to figure out what happened > reasonably quickly. > > My thoughts are with the 7 crewmembers and their families and friends. > > Jim. > > Jim Scotti > Lunar & Planetary Laboratory > University of Arizona > Tucson, AZ 85721 USA > http://www.lpl.arizona.edu/~jscotti/ ----------------------------------------------------------------- Unsubscribe from SeeSat-L by sending a message with 'unsubscribe' in the SUBJECT to SeeSat-L-request@lists.satellite.eu.org http://www.satellite.eu.org/seesat/seesatindex.html
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