How much does space shuttle weigh?
How much does space shuttle weigh?
4.4 million pounds
The entire shuttle vehicle, fully loaded, weighed about 2 million kg (4.4 million pounds) and required a combined thrust of about 35 million newtons (7.8 million pounds-force) to reach orbital altitude.
What is the glide ratio of the space shuttle?
At hypersonic velocities in the upper atmosphere, above about Mach 5 and 200,000 feet, the Shuttle glides at a 1:1 ratio, one foot of forward travel for each foot of descent, about the same as a Steinway. That increases to 2:1 at supersonic velocities and improves to about 4.5:1 when you’re on final approach.
How much does a space shuttle weigh at takeoff?
4.5 million pounds
The height of the full shuttle stack, including the external fuel tank, is 184.2 feet. Gross weight is 4.5 million pounds at liftoff. That’s almost four times as weighty as the heaviest airplane ever built, the 1.2-million-pound Russian An-225 airplane.
How many pounds of thrust was the space shuttle?
Each Space Shuttle Main Engine operates at a liquid oxygen/liquid hydrogen mixture ratio of 6 to 1 to produce a sea level thrust of 179,097 kilograms (375,000 pounds) and a vacuum thrust of 213,188 (470,000 pounds).
How many tons did the space shuttle weigh?
How much does the space shuttle weigh? The total liftoff weight for a space shuttle was approximately 4.4 million pounds (1,995,806 kg), or over 2,000 tons. This included the weight of the orbital, 2 solid rocket boosters, and its external tank and fuel.
How many kg is a rocket?
Examples of rockets: 122 mm GRAD artillery rocket weight is about 66 kg, of which about 31% is propellant and about 29% payload (warhead). On the other side of the size spectrum: SpaceX Falcon 9 launcher, whose launch weight is about 550 metric tons, of which about 90% is propellants and only about 3–4% payload.
What is the glide ratio of a Boeing 777?
Any fixed wing aircraft will glide once its engines are out. The efficiency of its glide is determined by its lift to drag ratio, which is about 17 for a Boeing 747 during cruise, and 19.26 for a Boeing 777.
What is best glide ratio?
For heavier than air objects there is something specifically designed to have the best glide ratio, generally topping out around 70:1. That’s 70 feet forward for every one foot down. It’s aptly called a “glider” and nothing glides better than a glider.
What kind of fuel did the space shuttle use?
liquid hydrogen
The Space Shuttle’s large External Tank is loaded with more than 500,000 gallons of super-cold liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen, which are mixed and burned together to form the fuel for the orbiter’s three main rocket engines.
How much fuel do space shuttles use?
At liftoff, the two Solid Rocket Boosters consume 11,000 pounds of fuel per second. That’s two million times the rate at which fuel is burned by the average family car. The twin Solid Rocket Boosters generate a combined thrust of 5.3 million pounds.
Can space shuttle fly moon?
Can the Space Shuttle fly to the Moon? A. No, the Shuttle is designed to travel to low-Earth orbit (within a few hundred miles of the Earth’s surface). It does not carry enough propellant to leave Earth orbit and travel to the Moon.
How much does SpaceX rocket weigh?
549,054 kg
Overview
| HEIGHT | 70 m / 229.6 ft |
|---|---|
| MASS | 549,054 kg / 1,207,920 lb |
| PAYLOAD TO LEO | 22,800 kg / 50,265 lb |
| PAYLOAD TO GTO | 8,300 kg / 18,300 lb |
| PAYLOAD TO MARS | 4,020 kg / 8,860 lb |
What are the dimensions of a Space Shuttle?
Length Space Shuttle: 184 feet Orbiter: 122 feet Height Orbiter on runway: 57 feet Wingspan 78 feet Liftoff Weight* 4.5 million pounds Orbit 115 to 400 statute miles Velocity: 17,321 mph * weight will vary depending on payloads and on board consumables. + More NASA Facts…
How many people are in a space shuttle crew?
The largest crew numbered eight people. Normally, crews may range in size from five to seven people. The Shuttle is designed to reach orbits ranging from about 185 kilometers to 643 kilometers (115 statute miles to 400 statute miles) high.
How much cargo can the Space Shuttle carry?
At the same time, because of weight reductions and other improvements, the cargo the Shuttle can carry has increased by 7.3 metric tons (8 tons.) In managing and operating the Space Shuttle, NASA holds the safety of the crew as its highest priority.
What are the components of the Space Shuttle system?
Image left: The components of the Space Shuttle system: Orbiter, External Tank, and Solid Rocket Boosters. Photo Credit: NASA Columbia was the first Space Shuttle orbiter to be delivered to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Fla., in March 1979. Columbia and the STS-107 crew were lost Feb. 1, 2003, during re-entry.
