# who flew the space shuttle - human, or computer?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-flew-the-space-shuttle-human-or-computer/669532>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 23, 2013, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-flew-the-space-shuttle-human-or-computer/669532 "2013-09-23T18:40:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\
**Post date:** [September 23, 2013, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-flew-the-space-shuttle-human-or-computer/669532/1 "2013-09-23T18:40:26Z")

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My understanding has always been that computers flew the space shuttle through the early phase of reentry, when a very specific attitude sequence had to be maintained in order to scrub off orbital speed without roasting the wrong parts of the vehicle. But I had always thought that a human pilot (acting on all sorts of visual aids presented to him on the HUD) provided manual inputs to a joystick and was responsible for controlling the vehicle in the final few minutes before touchdown.

Or have I got that wrong? Did computers normally fly the shuttle from orbit all the way to a dead stop on the runway, and the designated pilot was there just in case the computer suffered a meltdown?

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**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\
**Post date:** [September 23, 2013, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-flew-the-space-shuttle-human-or-computer/669532/2 "2013-09-23T18:43:00Z")

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I heard it was the latter. The shuttle flew and landed itself, but obviously could be overridden.

Columbia was switched to manual mode seconds before shattering.

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**Author:** ![aNewLeaf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@aNewLeaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aNewLeaf)\
**Post date:** [September 23, 2013, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-flew-the-space-shuttle-human-or-computer/669532/3 "2013-09-23T18:50:37Z")

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[Wikicite](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle#Re-entry_and_landing):

> [@](#):
>
> Almost the entire Space Shuttle re-entry procedure, except for lowering the landing gear and deploying the air data probes, was normally performed under computer control. However, the re-entry could be flown entirely manually if an emergency arose. The approach and landing phase could be controlled by the autopilot, but was usually hand flown.