I suppose you would need quite a space suit to survive the collision with the atmosphere.
2006-10-20 13:31:49 · 15 answers · asked by gregory_s19 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
You would need a bit more than a space-suit - however, not as much more than you might think. In fact, spaceflight engineers have studied the concept of the "personal re-entry lifeboat" since at least the 1960's - see the below link.
They were quite serious. This idea was the subject of a five year research program by an aerospace firm, funded by NASA when it had it's Apollo budget up and cranking.
There was a perceived need for a "bail-out" option for astronauts, at least for a while, but when that perception receded, no one bothered to fund any more research into it. However, interest has begun to grow again, apparently.
There's nothing impossible about it. Plenty that's dangerous about it, but nothing impossible.
2006-10-20 15:32:05 · answer #1 · answered by wm_omnibus 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not really. The space station orbits the earth; if you jumped off the space station, you'd be orbiting earth too. You'd need some kind of rocket to boost you towards the ground, so you could break out of orbit.
You'd definitely need something more protective than a spacesuit if you wanted to survive re-entry. Why do you think the space shuttles and space capsules have heat shields on them?
2006-10-20 13:36:30 · answer #2 · answered by Bramblyspam 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You'd never survive the Mach 20 reentry. Did you see the burnt pieces of the Columbia?
However, you could skydive from SpaceShip One. You could jump out just as it's upward momentum was spent. You'd still need a space suit at 62 miles altitude, but your velocity is low enough that you wouldn't need a heat shield. That would be AWESOME!
2006-10-20 15:31:19 · answer #3 · answered by Otis F 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you jump out of the space station you will not fall towards earth. The gravity there from earth is not that strong and you have the moon to pulling you close to it (you would feel gravity from the moon also).
So you will probably end up wondering around space!!
You will never reach atmosphere.
2006-10-21 02:08:24 · answer #4 · answered by Ioanna 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think you'd be in orbit along with the space station for quite some time before your orbit decayed enough to actually come in contact with the atmosphere, maybe several years. Now if you fired up your rocket packs in a retroburn, that would do it. Yeah, that would have to be some spacesuit.
2006-10-20 16:06:24 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
as you know the space shuttle coming back into the atmosphere turns bright red from the extreme heat caused by the reentry into t he atmosphere...so unless the space suit could stop all that heat...you would cook to death before you landed...
but WHOOOOOOOOOO what a ride....
and just maybe you would jump from the space station and you would just FLOAT around forever....
not that would not be fun...
smile
good luck
2006-10-20 13:36:36 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Being that you are weightless in space .. you wouldn't drop into the atmosphere. You would just wave "bye-bye" to your friends that are watching you from the space station as you float away into infinity and beyond. Good Luck! :)
2006-10-20 15:15:43 · answer #7 · answered by tysavage2001 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
of course not! you could be dead before experiencing it..
many astronauts die because of the air outside our planet and at the same time, because of lack of oxygen..
dude, why ask for spacediving if there's a skydiving? it's never possible.. hope the next generations would find a way..
2006-10-21 01:50:06 · answer #8 · answered by GeLo'14 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
just jump towards earth, not so much sky dive but plummet, ud have no control over direction and youd end up burning up in the atmosphere
2006-10-20 13:34:23 · answer #9 · answered by crocky 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
that would be cool to try sod the atmosphere burning you up youll just be floating round space til ya die .
2006-10-20 13:35:20 · answer #10 · answered by eternal666 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋