3 ms·

There were a lot of these runways across the Atlantic. I wonder how many at a time they staffed with people like the people you met. https://en.wikipedia.org/w

• tragomaskhalos 8y ago
  After posting I checked the dates from memory vs shuttle launch dates from Wikipedia, and this would have been some weeks before the launch ; so I wonder if in fact their job was to drop into the various emergency landing areas and just do a check that everything was lined up just in case; otherwise it'd be very costly to have teams in situ at all of them.
  • QuotedForTruth 8y ago
    The shuttle was a very expensive program! Each launch was something like $450 million. I wouldnt be surprised if they had small teams at 2 or 3 runways as contingency plans. If the shuttle landed some where they would definitely need help getting out of it and I doubt it would be much cheaper to keep locals trained and ready.