Why can't the space shuttle land in the rain?

Answer 1

It is risky for any aircraft to land on a wet runway with redused visibility, but may be even riskier for the shuttle because it comes in at a much higher velocity and a steeper angle. Lol, it's just too dangerous.

AnswerAlso, because the weather- resistant coating on the white thermal tiles burns off during launch and reentry, there is a danger that rain could enter the space under tiles and cause them to dislodge when subjected to extremes of temperatures on a later mission. This would leave parts of the orbiter unprotected from the heat of re-entry.

This is true, but more importantly the impact of the rain at the high velocity of the shuttle would damage the fragile tiles and require a significant time and expense to replace them before the next mission.

Answer 2

Airplanes can land in rain. However, landing may be difficult due to low visibility and a wet runway. Some aircraft are equipped with windshield wipers, though many planes do not. When flying in poor visibility, the pilot is subject to a different set of rules, one of those being that if he cannot see the runway by a certain point (the "decision height") he must abort landing & fly to his alternate.

It should be noted that rain does not have nearly as much impact on visibility as fog or snow do. The only real danger to flying in rain is the fact that rain can be associated with severe weather which really is a problem.

Answer 3

The space shuttle cannot land in the rain because its thermal protection system is not designed to withstand the additional stress and damage that water can cause to its heat-resistant tiles. Water could seep into the tiles and compromise the shuttle's ability to safely re-enter the Earth's atmosphere.