2006-09-27 05:36:47 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Of course it wouldn't burn up.
The tremendous heat generated during re-entry is a result of the friction between gas molecules in the upper atmosphere and the surface of the shuttle as it enters the atmosphere at very high speed.
At a walking pace, the friction would be negligible.
2006-09-27 05:43:36 · answer #1 · answered by actuator 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The heat generated on re-entry is indeed caused by the huge speed the shuttle is travelling. If the shuttle were able to travel at walking pace, it wouldn't generate the heat on re-entry.
In order for the shuttle to re-enter at walking speed, it would need to generate a phenominal amount of vertical thrust (to keep it up like a harrier jumpjet) which generating a phenominal amount of retrothrust to slow its horizontal speed. It only takes slight changes to the horizontal speed of the shuttle in order to de-orbit it, and hence the vertical thrust would be required to keep the shuttle up long enough for it to slow down - which would take a long time anyway - as there would be no air slowing the vehicle down.
The shuttle would have to be enormous. Correspondingly, the booster tanks would have to hold so much extra fuel to lift the enormous shuttle off the launchpad. The cost of such a flight would probably far exceed that of a moon mission using conventional means.
2006-09-27 07:16:00 · answer #2 · answered by nemesis 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, but then it would have worse problems to deal with.
Since we're assuming that the vehicle would be at a significantly lesser velocity than orbital velocity, it would fall like a rock. I'm not sure if the fall speed (dependent on what altitude it started from) would eventually increase to the point of where it would burn up on re-entry.
In this case, the shuttle would also need the ability to pull out of a 90° nosedive before slamming into the ground. I'm not sure how well it would perform attempting that...
2006-09-27 06:09:48 · answer #3 · answered by tbom_01 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Wobs - because of the gravity! To re-enter at walking pace you would have to apply a huge amount of rear thrust. Plus, 99.9% of the atmosphere is within 100km of the Earth's surface. Travelling at walking speed (I'm not sure exactly what this, but for these purposes I will say 5kmph) it would take an extra 20 hours to travel through the Earth's atmosphere - a little too long, especially when you think of the fuel you would need to apply the rear thrust for that amount of time.
2006-09-27 06:09:56 · answer #4 · answered by lewie_morgan92 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If the Shuttle's speed relative to the Atmosphere were, in fact, this slow, no it would not burn up.
However, this situation can't be achieved because the Shuttle would be going to slow to Orbit, and it would fall due to Gravity like a rock. It would then accelerate and burn up.
2006-09-27 06:04:31 · answer #5 · answered by entropy 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No, it wouldn't even get warm. But how would it stay up when going so slow? It would be like a 747 trying to fly at walking speed. It would just fall since it needs to be going at least 150 MPH to fly. Similarly, the shuttle needs to be going thousands of miles per hour to stay in orbit.
2006-09-27 08:28:54 · answer #6 · answered by campbelp2002 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Hi. The shuttle would simply fall. As it accelerated its speed would pick up and there would be some friction, but not enough to develop the heat it sees from a high speed re-entry.
2006-09-27 05:49:47 · answer #7 · answered by Cirric 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
if all your answers are true then why doesn't the shuttle return at walking speed or are the astronauts dying for a pint?!
Ty Lewie Morgan for ur explanation.........i guess with that amount of time taken then the astonauts would be really dying for a pint!!!
2006-09-27 05:54:16 · answer #8 · answered by Wobs 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No.. the reason things burn up on reentry is because of the friction with the air when they are going several thousand miles per hour....
2006-09-27 05:45:00 · answer #9 · answered by Andy FF1,2,CrTr,4,5,6,7,8,9,10 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If it stayed at walking speed it wouldn't burn up.
2006-09-27 17:09:40 · answer #10 · answered by Eddy G 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋