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A space shuttle slowdown on reentry is one of the biggest achievements of Aerospace Engineering. What happens is when shuttle comes in contact with earth's atmosphere then because of friction with air particles it gets too hot below its surface (because of which Columbia disaster happens) this heat gives a very large amount of energy to shuttle which should be removed to slow it down from almost 26000Kmph to 200-300 kph and this is done by 5 supercomputers on board of shuttle with almost no involvement of humans accepted.
What they do is that they tilt the shuttle on its middle axis pointing towards outer end of the wing so that air can easily flow through other wing to cool it down but strictly direction of landing path is not changed (because this may cause sever damage to shuttle at this speed) this is done to cool down the shuttle before touching the ground.
This process is repeated many times on both of the wings to cool down the shuttle, at the end when shuttle looses max of its potential ,kinetic and thermal energy the shuttle becomes an airplane type and all the controls is transferred to the pilot for save landing on airport.
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How do space shuttles slow down when re entering earths atmoshpere?
Drag from air is the main thing that slows down the space shuttle on reentry.
Why does the space shuttle flip when in flight?
The shuttle is traveling at a tremendous speed. In order to come out of orbit, the shuttle must slow down. When flipped backwards, the shuttle fires it's engines to slow down and enter the atmosphere. The shuttle begins to be slowed down by the atmosphere as it flips to a forward position for a proper landing.
Why does the space shuttle have high speed in the atmosphere?
The shuttle uses the atmosphere to slow itself down from orbital speed.
How does a space shuttle slow down?
A space shuttle slows down by firing its engines in the direction opposite to its travel path to reduce its speed. This process is known as retrograde firing. The shuttle can also use its heat shield to generate drag and slow down as it enters Earth's atmosphere.
How does the Space Shuttle reenter the Earth's atmosphere?
The shuttle maneuvers itself and burns it's OMS engines. This causes the shuttle to slow down to a point where the earths gravity can pull it back to earth. As the shuttle enters the high earth atmosphere it is slowed down as the atmosphere hits the craft heating it up. The shuttle then performs a series of 'S' turns slowing it down even further, until it reaches its final approach speed for landing.
How do space shuttles slow down when re entering earths atmoshpere?
Drag from air is the main thing that slows down the space shuttle on reentry.
Why does the space shuttle flip when in flight?
The shuttle is traveling at a tremendous speed. In order to come out of orbit, the shuttle must slow down. When flipped backwards, the shuttle fires it's engines to slow down and enter the atmosphere. The shuttle begins to be slowed down by the atmosphere as it flips to a forward position for a proper landing.
Why does the space shuttle have high speed in the atmosphere?
The shuttle uses the atmosphere to slow itself down from orbital speed.
How does a space shuttle slow down?
A space shuttle slows down by firing its engines in the direction opposite to its travel path to reduce its speed. This process is known as retrograde firing. The shuttle can also use its heat shield to generate drag and slow down as it enters Earth's atmosphere.
Will a space shuttle speed up or slow down when it fires its engines when facing backwards?
If it is facing in the opposite direction of travel it will slow down.
How does the Space Shuttle reenter the Earth's atmosphere?
The shuttle maneuvers itself and burns it's OMS engines. This causes the shuttle to slow down to a point where the earths gravity can pull it back to earth. As the shuttle enters the high earth atmosphere it is slowed down as the atmosphere hits the craft heating it up. The shuttle then performs a series of 'S' turns slowing it down even further, until it reaches its final approach speed for landing.
How long before docking to the iss does the space shuttle have to start slowing down to make a safe docking?
During launch the space shuttle speeds up to 17500 MPH. In orbit the space station is going about the same speed. So the shuttle does not have to slow down much. At docking the relative speed of the ISS and shuttle is about 1-2 inchs per second.
Why does the space shuttle have to orbit the earth before it lands?
The space shuttle orbits the Earth before landing to reduce its speed and align with the runway. This allows for a controlled descent and landing. Additionally, re-entering the Earth's atmosphere gradually helps dissipate the intense heat generated by friction.
What would a parachute slow down a space shuttle on landing?
A parachute slows down the descent of a space shuttle by increasing air resistance, which creates drag and reduces the shuttle's speed as it approaches the ground. This gradual decrease in speed allows for a softer landing than if the shuttle were to descend rapidly without a parachute.
Why does the space shuttle get very hot when entering the earth's atmosphere?
The space shuttle heats up when it enters the atmosphere because it encounters friction from the atmosphere. This is why the space shuttle is covered with special tiles that dissipates heat very quickly. You can hold a red hot one with the tips of your fingers. At the time of the deorbit burn the space shuttle is going 14,500 miles an hour. The atmosphere friction slows it down slow enough it open it's parachutes.
How much energy is required for the space shuttle to return to earth?
The space shuttle required approximately 500 million Joules of energy for re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere. This energy was mainly used to slow down the shuttle and withstand the heat generated during re-entry.
What happens when a space shuttle enters the atmosphere?
When a space shuttle enters the Earth's atmosphere, it experiences extreme heat and friction due to the high speeds it is traveling at. This creates a plasma sheath around the shuttle which can interfere with communications. The shuttle also begins to slow down due to atmospheric drag.
