One question to ask is speed relative to what? Analyst
Hi there,I'm looking some sites, and it seems that the space shuttle travels at aprox 17500 mph while orbiting the earth.That would be roughly 8km/sec.I guess other non geostationary satellites would travel at similar speeds in order to maintain orbit.But, which is really the maximum speed at which one of those bodies could travel in open space (while traveling to other planets)? Would it be possible to increase speed to let's say, 1000km/s?
So hopefully this isn't to far out but under the following conditions (below) what fraction of the speed of light would you guess we could achieve?- NASA's "entire" current exploration budget to 2020- Nuclear restrictions removed- Using known technology or technology that appears likely to mature within that time scale-Spacecraft in the New Horizon's weight class*Oh and describe it please!Basically what I am asking is if for one reason or another we HAD to accelerate a spacecraft in the New Horizon's Class how fast could we get it going by 2020?
Quote from: Analyst on 10/13/2009 05:35 pmOne question to ask is speed relative to what? AnalystAnd does this thing need to stop (or enter an orbit) at its destination? Or just blaze on by it meaninglessly? Can really make a difference overall (form -v- function) Alex
Hi there,Thx moderator for moving the post to the right section.Quote from: AlexInOklahoma on 10/13/2009 07:11 pmQuote from: Analyst on 10/13/2009 05:35 pmOne question to ask is speed relative to what? AnalystAnd does this thing need to stop (or enter an orbit) at its destination? Or just blaze on by it meaninglessly? Can really make a difference overall (form -v- function) AlexThat's exactly the question. Yes, it needs to stop, and the speed relatively faster than the target moon/planet/body. Let me ellaborate, although this would almost certainly absurd and impossible.I was wondering, if it's possible to accelerate a body(satellite) to a speed faster to the rotation speed for example of our moon (~1000 kms/s). If that was possible, would it be feasible to intercept the orbit of the moon at such speed, that the gravity of the moon would decelerate the satellite, until they collide at really slow speeds?Imagine that we put our satellite going very fast right into the moon's path. The moon continues it's path, and eventually its gravity starts "braking" out satellite. The moon would get closer and closer, and eventually it will catch our satellite. So I was wondering if it would be possible to calculate and reach such speed, so the collision would transate into a light landing:DI haven't done the equations, and probably such speed would be orders of magnitude greater than the target moon speed, but I was just curious if that would be possible theoretically.
Quote from: gloomygod on 10/13/2009 07:42 amHi there,I'm looking some sites, and it seems that the space shuttle travels at aprox 17500 mph while orbiting the earth.That would be roughly 8km/sec.I guess other non geostationary satellites would travel at similar speeds in order to maintain orbit.But, which is really the maximum speed at which one of those bodies could travel in open space (while traveling to other planets)? Would it be possible to increase speed to let's say, 1000km/s? I believe that NASA's Pluto New Horizons, launched by an Atlas V 551 on January 19, 2006, was given the largest initial velocity of any human-made object to date. It left Earth at 16.26 km/sec (Earth-relative), or about 36,373 mph. It took only 9 hours to pass lunar distance, 13 months to fly past Jupiter, and less than 2.5 years to pass Saturn's orbit. Even at that blistering pace it won't reach Pluto until 2015. - Ed Kyle
I believe that NASA's Pluto New Horizons, launched by an Atlas V 551 on January 19, 2006, was given the largest initial velocity of any human-made object to date. It left Earth at 16.26 km/sec (Earth-relative), or about 36,373 mph.
QuoteQuoteQuoteHypothesis: There was no recontact, but the first stage disrupted the upper stage simulator *aerodynamically* and caused it to tumble when it's upper end exited the slipstream of the upper stage simulator.Lee Jay, I suspect you might be right, especially after checking out klausd's video above.I like the attempt at a higher-order physical explanation, but this is literally impossible at supersonic speeds. Such disturbances can only flow upstream at sonic speed (exactly) no matter the speed of the vehicle. So the USS could not have been disturbed by the flow of the FS since they were somewhere M~4.Aren't bow shocks generated in front of an object traveling supersonically? I.e. a higher pressure region *some distance* in front of the front end of the SRB? If so, what if one side of the USS aft end dipped into this region? Don't know much about fluid dynamics, just wondering if that's possible here.
QuoteQuoteHypothesis: There was no recontact, but the first stage disrupted the upper stage simulator *aerodynamically* and caused it to tumble when it's upper end exited the slipstream of the upper stage simulator.Lee Jay, I suspect you might be right, especially after checking out klausd's video above.I like the attempt at a higher-order physical explanation, but this is literally impossible at supersonic speeds. Such disturbances can only flow upstream at sonic speed (exactly) no matter the speed of the vehicle. So the USS could not have been disturbed by the flow of the FS since they were somewhere M~4.
QuoteHypothesis: There was no recontact, but the first stage disrupted the upper stage simulator *aerodynamically* and caused it to tumble when it's upper end exited the slipstream of the upper stage simulator.Lee Jay, I suspect you might be right, especially after checking out klausd's video above.
Hypothesis: There was no recontact, but the first stage disrupted the upper stage simulator *aerodynamically* and caused it to tumble when it's upper end exited the slipstream of the upper stage simulator.
Using ejection seats to me is a Dumb Idea in general, if for nothing else than having multiple flammable/explosive ordinance devices as permanent parts within a pressurized crew cabin.