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(meteorobs) Shuttle's utility to meteor observers
I have always thought that shuttle re-entries could have great utility to
meteor and radio meteor observers.
As a forward scatter radio meteor observer I have recorded 5 different
re-entries over the years as the various shuttles entered atmosphere above
the west coast and passed in proximity to my New Mexico observatory on
their way to Florida. Generally it is a fabulous and exhilarating sight to
witness a shuttle coming in as it is a white hot or golden streamlined
fireball whizzing past with fearless humans inside !
Shuttle re-entries could generate much interesting data. Things like
fireball contrail formations, dissipation of contrails in high atmosphere
winds, fireball mass, shock front dynamics, sonic boom phenomena and many
many things that are part of fireball and meteor studies.
As a radio meteor observer, I have tried to use shuttle re-entries as a way
to possibly calibrate my radio array. The shuttle is a great deflector of
far-off transmitters. Like big meteoric fireballs are.
Anyway, I am very sad for the Columbia tragedy but Science will persist and
the shuttles will eventually resume their flights.
Thomas Ashcraft
New Mexico
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