Approaching the runway from this altitude, the Space Shuttle has a 22º
glide slope and a rate of descent approaching 22,000 feet per minute.
Shuttle Training Aircraft (STA) are Gulfstream II business jets
modified to simulate the landing characteristics of the Space Shuttle
and used to train astronauts. In order to approximate the high descent
rate of the Shuttle, the Gulfstreams pitch nose down into a 20°
glideslope with the main landing gear down and thrust reversers
deployed. This configuration creates very high drag and gives the STA a
rate of descent around 14,000 feet per minute (4,265 m/min) while
maintaining a 300 knot dive. Now that's getting down fast!
--
Gene Seibel
Gene & Sue's Aeroplanes - http://pad39a.com/gene/planes.html
Because we fly, we envy no one.