>>Just watched the last shuttle launch.
>>
>>End of an era.
>
>Just looked at this link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-14077893 (the 'live' positions thing at the bottom) which currently shows the shuttle at 227km altitude and *descending" whilst the space shuttle is at an altitude of 400Km.
>
>Why would that be?

Just to add to what Al mentioned the main engines put it in an elliptical orbit and then the Orbital manouvering system makes it a circular orbit with an additional push after the main engines have stopped.

and I suppose now that should all be in the past tense.