# "The Core" spoiler requested...which Space Shuttle is it? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 6, 2003, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-core-spoiler-requested-which-space-shuttle-is-it/166829 "2003-04-06T06:18:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2003, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-core-spoiler-requested-which-space-shuttle-is-it/166829/1 "2003-04-06T06:18:45Z")
SPOILER space, as is customary. Though it might be overkill, for this particular movie. It’s an odd request, but I was wondering if anyone could tell me the name of the Space Shuttle that crashes in the recent movie, “The Core”? I was curious, but I didn’t want to spend $8 on a movie ticket. Or $2 on a video rental in a year, for that matter. Well, thanks for your time, Ranchoth ---
**Author:** ![tsm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/db5fbb/32.png) [@tsm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tsm)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2003, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-core-spoiler-requested-which-space-shuttle-is-it/166829/2 "2003-04-06T06:29:19Z")
Just going from memory, but I think it was Endeavour. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2003, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-core-spoiler-requested-which-space-shuttle-is-it/166829/3 "2003-04-06T19:14:49Z")
[spoiler] **tsm** is right, it was the Endeavor. Which, I might add, was coming in at **way** too shallow a glide angle on its descent into Los Angeles. The Space Shuttle doesn’t so much “glide” as come in under a controlled fall. A normal airliner’s glide angle while coming in for a landing is 2-3 degrees – the Shuttle’s is 20-30 degrees.[/spoiler] ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2003, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-core-spoiler-requested-which-space-shuttle-is-it/166829/4 "2003-04-06T23:24:38Z")
Ah, thanks for the info. But, if I may ask, did the shuttle…“make it” in the movie, or was it destroyed? ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2003, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-core-spoiler-requested-which-space-shuttle-is-it/166829/5 "2003-04-07T00:23:54Z")
It was heavily banged up, especially the extremities, but it survived. I think they should have aimed for Dodger Stadium. Glide down onto the grass, providing a nice soft landing, slowing them down enough to a controlled crash into the Dodger dugout, wiping the blue-and-white infidels out. Happy ending for all. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2003, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-core-spoiler-requested-which-space-shuttle-is-it/166829/6 "2003-04-07T02:35:40Z")
You know one of the things that irked me about that shuttle landing? The shuttle’s descent glide-slope. It was **way** too shallow. The shuttle was shown descending at the same angle an airliner does whet it comes in for a landing, i.e. 2-3 degrees. In real life, the space shuttle’s glide slope is 20-30 degrees, 10 times steeper than an airliner’s. This is because the space shuttle orbiter’s “wings” provide hardly any lift. The orbiter doesn’t so much “glide” in for a landing as undergo a controlled fall. (It’s aerodynamic characteristics have been likened to a pair of pliers, a bowling ball, and an anvil over the years.) Maybe in the movie they shallowed up their glide slope by firing their orbital engines and burning their remaining maneuvering fuel. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Tars\_Tarkas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tars\_Tarkas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tars_Tarkas)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2003, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-core-spoiler-requested-which-space-shuttle-is-it/166829/7 "2003-04-07T03:39:10Z")
Haw-HAW, you people watched the Core! ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2003, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-core-spoiler-requested-which-space-shuttle-is-it/166829/8 "2003-04-07T05:18:33Z")
Um … I only watched it to stare at Hilary Swank’s breasts! Yeah, that’s it, that’s the ticket! I _certainly_ didn’t watch it to nitpick the science or anything geeky like that, nosiree Bob, not me! :o ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angel_of_the_lord/32/2949_2.png) [@Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_the_Lord)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2003, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-core-spoiler-requested-which-space-shuttle-is-it/166829/9 "2003-04-07T08:11:28Z")
Yeah, I saw it. My SO wanted to see it. I spent most of the time pointing out errors in geology. Yeah, I’m a dork. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2003, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-core-spoiler-requested-which-space-shuttle-is-it/166829/10 "2003-04-07T13:37:48Z")
**tracer** , they don’t show her breasts in the movie. That guy sure thakes his shirt off a lot though. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Carnage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/max_carnage/32/12775_2.png) [@Max\_Carnage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Carnage)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2003, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-core-spoiler-requested-which-space-shuttle-is-it/166829/11 "2003-04-07T15:15:56Z")
You know what? I enjoyed that movie! I may be one of only two people who did (my best friend being the second), but I found it to be a fun sci-fi romp. Sure I suspended my belief so much I needed a cherry picker to get it back when the movie was over, but doing that made my $7.50 worth spending.