Beta angle result of the beta angle of the space station at those times. When the orbiter was in-flight (not docked to ISS) and it flew to a beta angle greater than 60 degrees, the orbiter went into "rotisserie" mode, and slowly rotated around its X-axis (nose to tail axis). For flights to ISS, the shuttle could launch during an ISS beta cutout if the ISS would be at a beta less than 60 degrees at dock, and throughout the docked phase. Therefore, the mission duration affected launch timing when the beta cutout dates were approaching. Beta angle The beta angle (formula_1)
Inscribed angle "V" and whose sides pass through points "A" and "B". Draw line "OA". Angle "BOA" is a central angle; call it "θ". Lines "OV" and "OA" are both radii of the circle, so they have equal lengths. Therefore, triangle "VOA" is isosceles, so angle "BVA" (the inscribed angle) and angle "VAO" are equal; let each of them be denoted as "ψ". Angles "BOA" and "AOV" are supplementary. They add up to 180°, since line "VB" passing through "O" is a straight line. Therefore, angle "AOV" measures 180° − "θ". It is known that the three angles of a triangle add