fff
The closest personnel are to the space shuttle during launch is usually around 3 miles away at the Kennedy Space Center. This distance is for safety reasons, to protect personnel in case of an explosion or other hazardous event during launch.
The crawler transporter takes the space shuttle from the Vehicle Assembly Building to the launch pad, which is usually a distance of about 3 to 4 miles. It moves very slowly to ensure a smooth and controlled journey for the shuttle. Once the shuttle is at the launch pad, the crawler transporter moves to a safe distance away from the launch site.
Approximately 17,000 miles per hour
A space shuttle can reach speeds of up to 17,500 miles per hour (28,000 kilometers per hour) during launch and re-entry into Earth's atmosphere.
Being at least 6 miles away from a space shuttle launch is for safety reasons. During launch, there can be debris and toxic gases that can be harmful if you are too close. The 6-mile distance ensures that spectators are at a safe distance in case of any malfunctions or accidents.
That depends on how good your eye-sight is. How far can you see? ^Very funny. But seriously, I remember seeing the shuttle launch once when I was a kid growing up in N. Carolina, which must have been at least 500 miles from Cape Canaveral. ^^In that case at least 500 miles! ^^^uk sucks.
The maximum speed of a space shuttle during launch is approximately 17,500 miles per hour, achieved during the ascent to low Earth orbit. Once in orbit, the shuttle travels at an average speed of around 17,500 to 18,000 miles per hour in order to remain in orbit around the Earth.
Of coarse the space shuttle begins launch at zero miles per hour but after about 8 seconds it is going about 100 mph (161 kph) 17 seconds into the launch it's going about 341 mph (549 kph)! Within 10 minutes it will be in orbit traveling about 17,500 mph (28,164 kph).
A normal space shuttle launch is 8-1/2 minutes long. The Solid Rocket Boosters separate at 24 nautical miles (45 km) two minutes into the flight.
The space shuttle's Solid Rocket Boosters (SRBs) are the first components to separate during launch. After the shuttle ascends to approximately 28 miles in altitude and reaches a speed of about 4,500 miles per hour, the SRBs are jettisoned once their fuel is depleted. This separation occurs about two minutes after liftoff, allowing the shuttle to continue its ascent powered by the main engines.
It takes about 8.5 minutes for a space shuttle to reach orbit after launch. During this time, the shuttle accelerates to speeds over 17,000 miles per hour to overcome Earth's gravity and reach the necessary altitude. The shuttle then enters a stable orbit around the Earth.
A space shuttle launch can typically be seen from about 30-50 miles away, depending on atmospheric conditions and visibility. However, large rockets or unique lighting effects might make them visible from even further distances.