New Abort Landing Site For Shuttle In Istres, France

The United States and France have agreed that the Istres Air Force Base, near Marseille, will be a formal Transatlantic Abort Landing (TAL) site for space Shuttle launches when the fleet returns to flight later this year, Air & Cosmos recently reported.

By Space War Editorial Team · Editorial process

Published April 3, 2005

A TAL would be required for an engine failure or any other emergency that calls for an abort to keep the vehicle flying east.

It could also be used in any other case of emergency if the Shuttle cannot execute a Return-to-Launch-Site abort procedure back to the Kennedy Space Centre.

To prepare for possible Shuttle landings, the Istres facility will be equipped with a new microwave landing system and specialized lighting.

Written by

Space War Editorial Team

The Space War Editorial Team produces content across our two editorial pillars: space industry news and Mind & Meaning. We cover launches, missions, satellites, defense, and the technology of getting humans to space, alongside the psychology of ambition, isolation, and meaning under extremes. Articles reflect our team's collective editorial process, source verification, drafting, technical review, and editing, rather than a single writer's work. Space War takes editorial responsibility for content under this byline. For more on how we work, see our editorial policy.