[FPSPACE] FW: Good article on secret shuttle missions

[John Charles]

Ditto!

Re: "Tab Echo"--despite what sounds like a top secret designation,
that may just refer to the fifth ("echo" is the fifth letter in the
radio alphabet) tab in a checklist book.

The practice of giving astronauts obscure instructions instead of
clear directions on the open air-to-ground link always amused me.  In
my youthful days as a principal investigator on biomedical experiments
in space, we got accustomed to hearing Capcom tell the crew, "Please
verify step 24" instead of, "Please go back and turn on the power,"
when we were not getting a signal when the checklist and time line
said we should (the flight director always seemed to act like it was
our fault!).  Less chance of public embarrassment and newspaper
headlines about forgetful astronauts that way.

John Charles
Houston, Texas

On Jul 19, 2009, at 1:29, "Brett Harrison" <routier at tpg.com.au> wrote:
>
> Great article!
> "Tab Echo" - that could be in a sitcom.
>
> On Sun, 19 Jul 2009 07:46:26 +1000, Charles Vick
> <cpvick at globalsecurity.org> wrote:
>>
>> http://www.airspacemag.com/space-exploration/Secret-Space-Shuttles.html?c=y&
>> amp;page=1