Has a space shuttle ever had to use a TAL (The Transoceanic Abort Landing) site?

Question

These are done after launch because of an engine failure or maybe once the shuttle is in orbit and it has to land or the orbiter would have to make an unscheduled landing if one or more of its three main engines failed during ascent into orbit, or if a failure of a major orbiter system, such as the cooling or cabin pressurization systems, precluded satisfactory continuation of the mission

Answer 1

It does not appear that they have, but I could be mistaken. However, I personally thought, at the time of the liftoff, that NASA should have turned the Shuttle around and landed it in the 2-1/2 minutes they have as a "cushion" window to do such a thing, when the foam broke off during the Columbia launch. I was an Astrophysics major at the time and was so confused as to how they could NOT have used that option.

Answer 2

No, that has never happened. The shuttle has landed at Edwards Air Force Base in California, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, and at least once at White Sands in New Mexico. All these landings were after successful orbital flights, but the landing site was sometimes changed due to weather. The White Sands landing was due to the unusual case of bad weather in both Florida and California. There have been no aborted takeoffs that failed to make it to orbit, other than when the Challenger exploded.

Answer 3

No. I believe what you're referring to is a landing in Europe after an aborted takeoff. This hasn't been done, and what I've read in periodicals, none of the astronauts want to try it out.

Thanks,
Buster

Answer 4

No!

Answer 5

No.