Dover AFB - Shuttle Landing

[Willit Run]

Just read this on Dover AFB's website and thought it was pretty interesting.  Had no clue about this and if it ever had to land there I'd be down there in a heartbeat!!

DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. -- Dover Air Force Base is an alternate landing site for NASA space shuttle missions. The base provides immediate support for the shuttle and its crew, and coordinates with NASA in the event of an emergency landing.

[Mobius]

Probably for when it takes off, and there is an emergency where they can't make it back to Kennedy, and can't make it to Spain, they'll go to Dover.  I believe the launch trajectory takes the shuttle right up the east coast, so it would seem like a relatively reasonable spot to have one.

[Craig.]

RAF Fairford is another.

[beaky]

Probably for when it takes off, and there is an emergency where they can't make it back to Kennedy, and can't make it to Spain, they'll go to Dover.  I believe the launch trajectory takes the shuttle right up the east coast, so it would seem like a relatively reasonable spot to have one.

Normally it launches more to eastward (towards Bernmuda if I remember right), but I suppose they could divert to NJ right after launch if necessary. But they'd have to have a lot of altitude by then, and normally by that time they're way downrange, over  mid-ocean.
More than likely it's intended as a post-mission landing site, in case they somehow wind up north of course on re-entry or something.

[Woodlouse2002]

I'm with Rotty on it being for landing. I think if anything goes wrong on take off with the shuttle there's not a lot of hope no matter where you can land.

[Mobius]

Yeah, I guess the three abort sites other than Kennedy are Moron (Spain), Dakar (Sengal), and Ben Guerur (Morocco).  Although on the Dover AFB website, it says that Dover is used only in an emergency, which makes sense because the Space Shuttle has never landed there, and they don't plan on having it land there.

[beaky]

I'm with Rotty on it being for landing. I think if anything goes wrong on take off with the shuttle there's not a lot of hope no matter where you can land.

Yesh, there is that... but it's possible they could have to separate early, and that could leave them in a position where they might have to come back to the coast somewhere.

[Hagar]

Interesting. It took me quite a while to find this. http://www.northcom.mil/newsroom/news_release/2006/090506_a.htm

Launch Abort Sites (LAS) and East Coast Launch Abort Landing Sites (ECALS)

Additionally, U.S. military units at the following Shuttle Launch Abort Sites are on alert to support an emergency landing during the launch phase for STS-115. These facilities lie near the intended flight path for STS-115:

Atlantic City International Airport, N.J.
Oceana Naval Air Station, Va.
Dover Air Force Base, Del.
Otis Air National Guard Base, Mass.
F. S. Gabreski Airport, N.Y.
Pease Air National Guard Base, N.H.
Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C.

DoD Augmented/Emergency Landing Sites

If the shuttle experiences an on-orbit emergency and has to land immediately, NASA has established several civilian and military landing sites around the world. U.S. military personnel at the following locations are prepared to support an emergency landing of the shuttle:

Augmented Sites: While the Primary Landing Site is Kennedy Space Center, Fla., alternate DoD Augmented Landing Sites Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., Holloman Air Force Base and White Sands Space Harbor, N.M., can be quickly readied to support a shuttle landing with an on-scene commander, fire/crash/rescue forces, and medical evacuation capabilities.

Emergency Landing Sites: These locations are strategically located around the world in the flight path of STS-115. They have runways long enough for the shuttle and have compatible navigation aids. The following Emergency Landing Sites are located within the United States:

Atlantic City International Airport, N.J. (ECALS)
Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C. (ECALS)
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.
McDill Air Force Base, Fla.
China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station, Calif.
Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho
Dover Air Force Base, Del. (ECALS)
Oceana Naval Air Station, Va. (ECALS)
Dyess Air Force Base, Texas
Otis Air National Guard Base, Mass. (ECALS)
Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D.
Pease Air National Guard Base, N.H. (ECALS)
Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska
Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.
F.S. Gabreski Airport, N.Y. (ECALS)

The emergency recovery sites have only the minimum number of people needed to assist the astronauts and will respond to a shuttle landing as they would for any large aircraft emergency landing.