How Do Space Shuttle Commanders Practice Landing?
Aired October 22, 2000 – 8:24 a.m. ET THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED. MILES O’BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: The space shuttle Discovery has left the International Space Station ready for its first tenants, due to arrive on November 2. During the 11 day shuttle sortie, the seven member crew attached two key components to the station and stocked in some supplies. Discovery is slated to come home to the Kennedy Space Center, as we just told you, 2:14 p.m. Eastern Time today. Crosswinds a bit of a concern. CNN, of course, planning live coverage. Now a shuttle landing is the defining moment when a commander earns his salary or her salary. But even the most experienced shuttle drivers perhaps log only four orbiter landings in their career. So how do they practice, you ask? Here’s how. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) O’BRIEN (voice-over): Dressed for space but destined for less lofty heights, they are geared up to fly a modified corporate jet through some paces th
