Why hasn't the space shuttle ever orbited the moon?

Question

Surely its capable of doing it, but why haven't they done it to conduct experiments without any earth gravity influence?

Answer 1

The shuttle is NOT capable of going to the Moon. It was designed to ferry people and cargo to and from low Earth orbit, and that's all.

It takes both solid rocket boosters, the entire contents of the extrenal fuel tank AND a kick from the orbital manoeuvring system to get the shuttle to orbital velocity, 17,500mph or thereabouts. The get to the Moon it would need to accelerate to 25,000mph, and the only fuel it has left is in the orbital manoeuvring system, and that does not have the power to accelerate the shuttle that much. Acceleration to get to the Moon would require it to dock with and use another rocket. This rocket would then also have to have enough fuel to brake it into a lunar orbit, and push it out again.

On the way home it has another problem. The shuttle is designed to re-enter earth's atmosphere from orbit, going at 17,500mph. The thermal protection system was designed to withstand the temperatures encountered on such a re-entry. Coming back from the Moon, the shuttle will hit Earth's atmosphere at 25,000mph, and the TPS is not designed for that. Perhaps more to the pojnt, neither is the framework of the shuttle. If it hit the Earth's atmosphere at 25,000mph it would very likely burn up and break up. Not good. Slowing it down from 25,000mph to 17,500mph before re-entry would require about as much fuel as was needed to send it to the Moon in the first place.

So, to get the shuttle to the moon you would need another colossal rocket ready and waiting for you in space to attach to the shuttle and use to make the trip. That rocket would itself have to get into orbit, and we don't have anything that could lift a fully fuelled rocket capable of sending a shuttle orbiter to the Moon and back, so it would have to be assembled in space as well, prior to sending up the shuttle.

So the reason they haven't sent the shuttle to orbit the Moon is the same reason you've never driven a car across the English channel: It is not designed for the trip and is not capable of making it.

Answer 2

Actually, it isn't capable of doing it. To escape the Earth's gravity and go to the moon, you have to go 25,000mph and there is no rocket that could push the shuttle out of Earth orbit and to the moon. IF there was, then sure, the shuttle could orbit, but that escape velocity is the sticking point.

Answer 3

The Space Shuttle is not capable of going beyond low Earth orbit. I believe the highest the Space Shuttle has ever been above Earth is about 350 miles. The Moon is 269,000.00 miles from Earth. Over 700 times farther. In lunar orbit you would have the gravitational influence of the Moon itself so you would not be in a better position for experiments than you'd be in low Earth orbit.

Answer 4

The moon orbits Earth because of earths gravity, so even if the shuttle orbited the Moon it would still be affected by Earths gravity.

Answer 5

It goes nowhere near escape velocity and would need a much bigger booster to get to the moon. The orbit is quite low. If they have to put satellites in higher orbits these will have their own boosters to get there.

Answer 6

Space Shuttles are 'Shuttles', in other words they just take people out of the Earths atmosphere. They are not actually built to go on lunar missions.

Answer 7

The orbitor(what they use now) wasnt built to orbit the moon

Answer 8

IT ISN'T CAPABLE OF ORBITING THE MOON. AND I ALSO HAVE 10 PAGES OF RESEARCH ON IT TOO IF YOU WANT TO KNOW SO BADLY.

Answer 9

That hasn't been on the flight plan.