IIRC this could also snatch a satellite using the same profile, with no warning.
Also some in the Soviet leadership were very scared the shuttle could carry nukes clandestinely, then during an ostensibly routine mission change inclination using its wings and decapitate Moscow with no prior warning.
Well, of course they are. But you can dip into the atmosphere at an angle, use it to change your inclination, then boost back to orbit (using the OMS in Shuttles case). Sure, you need to do it just right to not loose too much speed or even burn up due to overheating.
But if you could pull it off (and Soviets apparently beleived it was possible) you have an unique capability not really available to regular satellites l, where low orbit quick plane changes are basically impossible with any realistically available delta-v.
Also some in the Soviet leadership were very scared the shuttle could carry nukes clandestinely, then during an ostensibly routine mission change inclination using its wings and decapitate Moscow with no prior warning.
Until each side accumulated enough ICBM nukes that it was clear mutually-assured destruction would dominate.
Wings are useless in a vacuum.
But if you could pull it off (and Soviets apparently beleived it was possible) you have an unique capability not really available to regular satellites l, where low orbit quick plane changes are basically impossible with any realistically available delta-v.