At what altitude do the three main engines of the space shuttle cut off? The NASA site lists 8 minutes, but fails to give an altitude.
When it gets into orbit. I don’t remember exactly what that range is, but I think its something like 200 to 400KMs … or something like that.
Here’s a whole chart of the different possible altitudes, depending on whose textbook you’re reading.
Actually they shut down shortly before the external tank is jettisoned, which is before the shuttle reaches orbit. Following ET seperation, the orbital maneuvering system (consisting of two 6000 pound thrust engines) fires to place the Shuttle in a low eliptical orbit. Half an orbit later they fire again to place the Shuttle in a higher circular orbit.
Eric
I know for a fact that MECO occures well before the shuttle reaches orbital altitude, and the ET is separated while the orbiter coasts up to its cruising altitude with assistance from the OMS system.