2007-08-09 06:53:04 · 5 answers · asked by punit g 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
This is achieved by using the Law of Conservation of Momentum.When the rocket is moving it has a certain linear momentum.A heavy wheel in the shuttle is turned by remote to disperse some of this momentum into angular momentum of the wheel.As a result the momentumresultant points to the desired direction and the rocket tilts as desired.
2007-08-09 07:01:54 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
You have 3 systems, the Main Mngines (3) which as was stated, are gimbaled, the Orbital Maneuvering Engines, mainly used for the de-orbit burn to bring the shuttle down out of orbit, also gimbaled, and the thrusters, used for attitude control and station keeping. They are distributed in different locations arount the spacecraft, redundant, and pointing in all the possible directions. As far as I know they're fixed, but I could be wrong.
2007-08-09 09:18:23 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The engines are movable. They are on giant hinges called gimbals and can be tilted in different directions by powerful motors. The navigation and control computer has gyroscopes to measure the direction the shuttle is pointing and it moves the engines to point in whatever direction is needed to keep the shuttle on course.
2007-08-09 07:14:41 · answer #3 · answered by campbelp2002 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
An afterburner is a component of a high-performance turbojet engine, and the Space Shuttle does not have them.
The main engines are steerable, as described by others, and the entire control system is computer controlled.
2007-08-09 11:56:30 · answer #4 · answered by aviophage 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Gyroscopes detect deviations in the trajectory and send signals to powerful motors that make the changes in the thrusters to bring the rocket back on course.
2007-08-12 05:50:59 · answer #5 · answered by johnandeileen2000 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋