Originally Posted by
Airbum
As i recall sometimes the limiting factor is the hydrazine generator providing power? No gliding say 40 miles from 40,000 as the flight controls would quit operating before touchdown.
You are correct sir. Book says 8nm straight-in flameout approach would use 45% of your hydrazine (40% if you were able to crank the JFS). So depending on winds, 20ish miles is about the limit. I suppose if you had lots of altitude and needed to go 25nm, you could dump the nose, go faster (albiet less efficiently) and put er down....yeee hah, hang on!!