2006-09-04 05:44:25 · 5 answers · asked by skinnywayne 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
I am just trying to find out what there crusing speed is in space.. to compare it to the distances of near ojects in space.
2006-09-04 05:50:03 · update #1
there are only 2 diferent models of space shuttles: the american one, and the russian one (the russian one only flew once, after that, they understood that making a plane like spacecraft is stupid)
as for space crafts, then the speed only depends on the size of the rocket that launches it. Right now, the most powerfull rocket is of russian design: the "Energia", which was designed to launch the buran shuttle (russian space shuttle) and which hasn't been used since they stoped experimenting with space shuttles and came back to safer means of going to space: space capsules (soyuz)
The 2nd most powerfull is Saturn V.
But soon, the most powerfull rockets will be the 2 brand new american rockets (hopefully completed around 2012 or something like that)
2006-09-04 05:56:35 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The maximum speed of a circular low earth orbit, which is about as fast as any space shuttle gets, is a bit less than18,000 miles per hour.
The greatest possible speed occurs when the shuttle is re-entering the atmosphere after a visit to a higher orbit, such as the space station. Assuming that the ISS is at an altitude of 400 km, and the re-entry begins at an altitude of 100 km, the shuttle would reach a maximum speed of 8.016 meters per second upon hitting the atmosphere. That's 17,931 miles per hour.
2006-09-04 06:06:46 · answer #2 · answered by Keith P 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Any object in low Earth orbit travels about 17,500 mph. The space shuttle only travels in low Earth orbit, it doesn't go anywhere else. If we want to send a space craft somewhere other than low Earth orbit, it needs to go considerably faster than 17,500 mph. You may want to look up info on the Voyager and Pioneer spacecraft, and the New Horizons space craft, and see how fast they are traveling.
2006-09-04 13:36:10 · answer #3 · answered by kris 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I believe that the range for current space vehicles is from 25,000MPH to 60,000MPH. I read that we have attained a speed of 150,000MPH. I am not sure of the craft or vehicle.
2006-09-04 06:04:40 · answer #4 · answered by FrogDog 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Considering they're all the same design, I don't think there's any significant difference in their maximum speed.
2006-09-04 05:46:44 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋