In any case, all space launches involve very strictly
controlled restricted airspace. No aircraft are allowed
anywhere near the launch vehicle flight path because of the
risk of a mid-air. There are planes doing airspace
monitoring. probably armed F16 or FA18. But an SR71 would
not be a good choice for monitoring the launch from a close
point, although it might be 100 miles away as a training or
evaluation of its detection equipment.


"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:cnXeg.754859$084.22232@attbi_s22...
| Not that I'm too savvy about this, but what I recall the
Columbia shuttle
| burned on reentry, and at that stage the shuttle would
be mainly a glider
| with very little onboard fuel?
|
| I believe Big John's SR-71 question was referring to the
Challenger
| explosion -- not the Columbia re-entry break-up.
| --
| Jay Honeck
| Iowa City, IA
| Pathfinder N56993
| www.AlexisParkInn.com
| "Your Aviation Destination"
|
|