STS-1 - STS-3 Orbital Inclination

[craigcocca]

Why was STS-1 flown at an orbital inclination of 40.3 degrees, and STS-2 and STS-3 flown at 38 degrees?  I've looked through the press kits, online resources, etc, but have not found the answer. 

All other shuttle flights after the first three test flights have flown at "standard" inclinations of 28.5, 49.5, 51.6, or 57 degrees, so it seemed odd that these three were different.  Was it simply to have better ground communication coverage?

--Craig

[edkyle99]

Why was STS-1 flown at an orbital inclination of 40.3 degrees, and STS-2 and STS-3 flown at 38 degrees?  I've looked through the press kits, online resources, etc, but have not found the answer. 

All other shuttle flights after the first three test flights have flown at "standard" inclinations of 28.5, 49.5, 51.6, or 57 degrees, so it seemed odd that these three were different.  Was it simply to have better ground communication coverage?

--Craig

My guess would be that it had to do with contingency landing sites.  The first one across the Atlantic was at Rota, Spain, which is about 36.6 degrees North latitude.

 - Ed Kyle

[Jim]

Why was STS-1 flown at an orbital inclination of 40.3 degrees, and STS-2 and STS-3 flown at 38 degrees?  I've looked through the press kits, online resources, etc, but have not found the answer. 

All other shuttle flights after the first three test flights have flown at "standard" inclinations of 28.5, 49.5, 51.6, or 57 degrees, so it seemed odd that these three were different.  Was it simply to have better ground communication coverage?

--Craig

It was for comm coverage and  landing opportunities

There is a shuttle Q&A thread

[shuttlelegs]

Was it not to restrict the amount of cross range needed to make a AOA (Abort Once Around) to Edwards as well ? The aerodynamic ability wasn't completely know and that was why the first flight of each new Shuttle also landed at Edwards.

[Herb Schaltegger]

It was for comm coverage and  landing opportunities

There is a shuttle Q&A thread

That doesn't mean the answers in those incredibly-long threads are easy to find, even after a diligent search.  Give the guy a break. 

[Jim]

It was for comm coverage and  landing opportunities

There is a shuttle Q&A thread

That doesn't mean the answers in those incredibly-long threads are easy to find, even after a diligent search.  Give the guy a break. 

He can still post the question there.   

And still, one can search for a question that has been answered multiple time.  Just have to search better