🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <606@cbnewsl.ATT.COM> sw@cbnewsl.ATT.COM (Stuart Warmink) writes:
>   ... that it exactly why the Shuttle turns its undersurface
>   towards where the probe/satellite starts its burn. The worry is that
>   exhaust particles could damage or dirty the orbiter's windows.

Are the windows considered more critical than the bottom tiles?  I guess they
are possibly more fragile, but the bottom tiles experience much higher
temperatures than the top surfaces.  I guess that we know that even with some
of the bottom tiles missing, the orbiter doesn't suffer too much damage, so
I guess that turning the bottom to the burn makes sense, but it doesn't seem
to be clearly the obvious thing to do.

marcus hall