How long does it take for the space shuttle to re enter the atmosphere?

Once the orbiter is tail first, the crew fires the OMS engines to slow the orbiter down and fall back to Earth; it will take about 25 minutes before the shuttle reaches the upper atmosphere.

What happens to a surface of the shuttle as it enters the atmosphere?

When an object enters the Earth’s atmosphere, it experiences a few forces, including gravity and drag. Although it causes drag, it also causes intense heat. Specifically, shuttles faced intense temperatures of about 3000 degrees Fahrenheit (about 1649 degrees Celsius) [source: Hammond].

What happens during spacecraft re-entry?

The molecules break apart producing an electrically charged plasma around the aircraft. The air density is very low because re-entry occurs many miles above the earth’s surface. Strong shock waves are generated on the lower surface of the spacecraft.

Why does the space shuttle re enter so fast?

The Shuttle travels very fast on re-entry because orbital speed is very fast, that’s how things stay in low Earth orbit. The reason for the fast speed is to counteract gravity pulling things back to Earth.

How do space shuttles stay warm on re-entry?

The trip back to Earth is a hot one. Instead of the ablative materials found on the Apollo spacecraft, today’s space shuttles have special heat-resistant materials and insulating tiles that can sustain re-entry heat. Reinforced Carbon Carbon (RCC): This composite material covers the nose and edges of the wing, where temperatures get the hottest.

How do space shuttles descend through the atmosphere?

Descent through atmosphere: After it’s safely out of orbit, the shuttle turns nose-first again and enters the atmosphere belly-down (like a belly-flop) to take advantage of drag with its blunt bottom. Computers pull the nose up to an angle of attack (angle of descent) of about 40 degrees.

What caused the Space Shuttle Columbia to burn up?

In 2003, the space shuttle Columbia and its seven crew members burned up as they were returning to Earth. After investigation, NASA discovered that damage to the left wing (that actually occurred during liftoff), let hot air in upon re-entry and caused the shuttle to lose control and burn up. Advertisement.

Where do shock waves come from in a Space Shuttle?

Strong shock waves are generated on the lower surface of the spacecraft. The only manned aircraft to currently fly in this regime are the American Space Shuttle, the Russian Soyuz spacecraft, and the Chinese Shenzhou spacecraft. The figure shows the Shuttle after it has passed through the re-entry regime.