# "Space Cowboys" question.WARNING:SPOILER **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 25, 2001, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-cowboys-question-warning-spoiler/63312 "2001-04-25T17:21:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![WIGGUM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ce7236/32.png) [@WIGGUM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WIGGUM)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2001, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-cowboys-question-warning-spoiler/63312/1 "2001-04-25T17:21:28Z")
In the climax of the movie _Space Cowboys_, Clint Eastwood is landing the space shuttle without the aid of the on-board computer system. During the landing which was both fast and steep, James Garner’s character says, “You’re going to stall it!” At one point in the movie, they refer to the landing space shuttle as “a brick with wings” because the space shuttle is essentially a glider. My question is this: If it doesn’t have engines upon landing, how could they “stall” it? ---
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2001, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-cowboys-question-warning-spoiler/63312/2 "2001-04-25T18:04:38Z")
“Stalling” in this sense is maneuvering an aircraft (or shuttle) in such a way that the wings aren’t providing lift. Better yet, a dictionary definition: > [@](#): > > Aeron.an instance or the condition of causing an airplane to fly at an angle of attack greater than the angle of maximum lift, causing loss of control and a downward spin. You were thinking of this definition: > [@](#): > > an instance or the condition of causing an engine, or a vehicle powered by an engine, to stop, esp. by supplying it with a poor fuel mixture or by overloading it. ---
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2001, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/space-cowboys-question-warning-spoiler/63312/3 "2001-04-25T18:45:11Z")
Confusing these terms are scenes in TV shows that show a small plane climbing steeply, with it’s engine making sputtering sounds. The plane itself will stall (lose lift) from the steep attack angle, and the engine will stall (stop) from either excess load or the fuel not reaching it because it’s gravity-fed.