2006-09-13 12:09:34 · 16 answers · asked by jisha 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Engineering
Yes, sort of.
The current Space Shuttle is very large and wouldn't work as designed.
Other space ships have successfully launched from air craft. The Space Ship 1 was launched multiple times from the aircraft White Night last year.
This design will be used by Virgin Galactic for sub orbital flights of their Space Ship 2 vehicle starting in 2007 - 2008.
2006-09-13 12:12:25 · answer #1 · answered by T F 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The shuttle does not have enough fuel capacity or thrust by itself to be able to launch from an aircraft and make it into space. When they were developing the shuttle, they did do tests where they deployed the shuttle from an aircraft and brought it back down to the earth.
2006-09-14 10:03:42 · answer #2 · answered by Jeffrey S 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. At least not yet. Shuttles are however tested atop of aircraft, most of the time naval planes for their effects on landing procedures. A shuttle needs maximum force acceleration to boost into orbit. The pad at NASA is constructed from heavy-grade titanium alloy, the strongest metal and absorbant on the planet of heat and other elementary matter. Most of the time, shuttles need to displace over 500,000 psi's over a space of no more than 650 to 1000 square yards. That's a lot of force for such a small space. Plus, a shuttle needs power. It needs to be upright, have boosters along the sides and a power, water, magnetic, and gas supply. As the shuttle protrudes into the atmosphere, the individual canisters attached are dropped from the main capsule. The main power supply behind all of the US shuttles has been a topper of 33,000 psi in thirty seconds of take off. In that amount of time, traveling at over 173 miles per second, at 73,000 mph, the shuttle needs to have enough force from the launch to take it into orbit safely.
2006-09-14 17:08:28 · answer #3 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. The airplane would melt if the space shuttle is launched from an aircraft.
2006-09-13 21:34:21 · answer #4 · answered by I Don't Know 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no
the angle of elevation and the altitude at which a space shuttle can be launched must be such that it is free of the earth's gravitational field just enough to orbit around the earth.which is at 11200kms.to this height an air craft cannot launch as the cost and fuel would be much more when comapred to a rocket! and it is practically impossible
2006-09-17 16:34:29 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Probably not. I would think the force of the rockets blasting the shuttle up into orbit would break apart the aircraft and make it fall to the ground in pieces.
2006-09-13 19:31:01 · answer #6 · answered by alnitaka 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no it can not, the escape velocity for a space shuttle is alot more than an aircraft can provide. im guessing you probably see alot of pictures where a shuttle is riding on the back of a boeing airplane. they just do that to transport the shuttle from one space center to another.
2006-09-13 19:15:08 · answer #7 · answered by Decrot 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
no as you know a space shuttle(they call them shuttles for they can shuttle between earth and space) have a very strong fuel and if they did the aircraft would bearn up!
2006-09-13 19:32:33 · answer #8 · answered by Catie S 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. The shuttle and fuel load to get from aircraft altitude to orbit is too heavy for any existing aircraft to lift.
2006-09-13 19:12:19 · answer #9 · answered by Stewart H 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It is possible, but you need to design the aircraft to carry the shuttle's weight.
2006-09-14 10:36:32 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋