Space Shuttle - weird lack of footage

[0bserver]

One day I became interested in Space Shuttle missions and started searching for everything related to them. When I was watching different footage related to Space Shuttle, I made a rather strange observation. There are no videos where astronauts are leaving/exiting the actual spacecraft when it had landed. Or, probably, I missed some.

That seems weird to me because:
1. There are lots other Space Shuttle footage (launch, landing, cockpit view, interview with astronauts after their arrival)
2. There are many such footage with other spacecraft, for example Apollo, Shenzhou, Soyuz

I think that this is probably the right place write about that, I hope some people who are familiar with space missions could help me clear up my confusion.

[LunarOrbit]

[LunarOrbit]

[Peter B]

One day I became interested in Space Shuttle missions and started searching for everything related to them. When I was watching different footage related to Space Shuttle, I made a rather strange observation. There are no videos where astronauts are leaving/exiting the actual spacecraft when it had landed. Or, probably, I missed some.

That seems weird to me because:
1. There are lots other Space Shuttle footage (launch, landing, cockpit view, interview with astronauts after their arrival)
2. There are many such footage with other spacecraft, for example Apollo, Shenzhou, Soyuz

I think that this is probably the right place write about that, I hope some people who are familiar with space missions could help me clear up my confusion.

G'day 0bserver, and welcome to the forum.

I mean no disrespect, but for me, astronauts exiting the Shuttle and walking down one of those little sets of mobile aircraft steps was one of the staple bits of Shuttle landing footage on the evening news. Obviously, though, LunarOrbit has actually provided some actual footage while all I can offer is my memory...

[raven]

In my experience, when someone comes in claiming something doesn't exist, the good people of this forum either a) find it quicker than a shake of a lamb's tail or b) explain why the lack isn't as relevant as you might think it is.
In this case, LunarOrbit was  able to do do a) quickly and promptly, and I would expect no less.
Welcome to this forum, Observer.

[smartcooky]

And of course, when it all started...

[0bserver]

Thanks for your replies.

I've already seen the first two videos and they are a bit disappointing, beacause in those videos astronauts are walking out from so-called "crew transport vehicle" and not from the actual spacecraft.

I've never seen the third one before, I was looking for that kind of footage. And I still could not find anything like that.

[AtomicDog]

I'm curious. Why would seeing the astronauts physically exiting the spacecraft be important to you?

[Peter B]

This video clip shows astronauts descending a smaller set of steps from the Shuttle:

https://www.videoblocks.com/video/united-states-1990s-astronauts-walk-down-steps-after-landing-space-shuttle-on-runway-sdjovfjggiw3mod3n

Though I suppose they could have all been hiding in the little room at the top of the steps...

[LunarOrbit]

I've already seen the first two videos and they are a bit disappointing, beacause in those videos astronauts are walking out from so-called "crew transport vehicle" and not from the actual spacecraft.

I thought you might say something like that. So what do you think it means? We have footage of those same astronauts inside the Space Shuttle while it was orbiting the Earth... so don't you think it's reasonable to believe they were inside the Shuttle when it landed?

I can't say for sure why it's hard to find video of the astronauts exiting the Shuttle after it lands, but I suspect it's because 1. the ground crew has more important things to do than film; 2. exiting the Shuttle is awkward and difficult for the astronauts (especially after spending time in zero-G) and NASA doesn't want to spoil the image of the "perfect astronaut" that can spend 6 months in space and then jump out of the Shuttle as if there were no side effects.

[0bserver]

don't you think it's reasonable to believe they were inside the Shuttle when it landed?

Yes, I do think that.

I'm curious. Why would seeing the astronauts physically exiting the spacecraft be important to you?

exiting the Shuttle is awkward and difficult for the astronauts (especially after spending time in zero-G)

That's the reason why it is important. It would be interesting to see Space Shuttle astronauts condition after spending 10-15 days in zero-G. There were many missions with 10+ days duration.

[Jason Thompson]

That's the reason why it is important. It would be interesting to see Space Shuttle astronauts condition after spending 10-15 days in zero-G. There were many missions with 10+ days duration.

But why does that make it important to have video of them exiting the shuttle? That wouldn’t tell us anything. The important business of assessing their condition would be done by actual medical examination, not by looking at a video of them stepping out of the orbiter.

Also by the time the shuttle was flying, 10-15 days in zero gravity was nothing new, and three Skylab crews had spent months in space.

[LunarOrbit]

exiting the Shuttle is awkward and difficult for the astronauts (especially after spending time in zero-G)

That's the reason why it is important. It would be interesting to see Space Shuttle astronauts condition after spending 10-15 days in zero-G. There were many missions with 10+ days duration.

What about their condition would have changed between the time they exited the Shuttle and the time they exited the service vehicle?

Video of the astronauts exiting the Shuttle wouldn't accurately tell you anything about their condition. Are they struggling because they just spent 15 days in space, or because exiting the Shuttle is difficult even under normal conditions?

I'm sure there are many boxes and hard drives full of the astronauts medical records (including their condition upon returning to Earth), but they are confidential. It would make sense for doctors and scientists to have access to these records, but why would you or I need them?

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[Glom]

I'm curious. Why would seeing the astronauts physically exiting the spacecraft be important to you?

It would prove they weren't with their mistresses.

"My Terry wasn't with some floozy. He said he was on the Space Shuttle."