ix1037@sdcc6.UUCP (Christopher Latham) (02/10/86)
I believe that the reason that the shuttle ascends in the attitude that it does is so that the astronauts will always be in a positive G-force situation during ascent. The path of the shuttle is a curve so in addition to the force from acceleration there is also G-force from the curvature of the path. The absolutely worst way to take G-forces is with your head pointing in the direction of the force. So it makes sense to have them head down relative to the earth. Christopher Latham U.C.San Diego Dept. of Applied Mechanics and Engineering Sciences ..sdcsvax!sdcc6!ix1037
skip@ubvax.UUCP (Skip Addison Jr) (02/11/86)
In article <2412@sdcc6.UUCP> ix1037@sdcc6.UUCP (Christopher Latham) writes: >I believe that the reason that the shuttle ascends in the attitude that >it does is so that the astronauts will always be in a positive G-force >situation during ascent. The path of the shuttle is a curve so in >addition to the force from acceleration there is also G-force from the >curvature of the path. The absolutely worst way to take G-forces is with >your head pointing in the direction of the force. So it makes sense to >have them head down relative to the earth. > >Christopher Latham >U.C.San Diego >Dept. of Applied Mechanics >and Engineering Sciences >..sdcsvax!sdcc6!ix1037 What you've said would be true except that you haven't considered all the forces. Gravity is pulling them down. Whether the shuttle passengers' heads were pointed 'up' or 'down,' the trajectory of the shuttle could be made to create positive G-forces. Can anyone describe the accleration during takeoff, in terms of g's or length per unit time squared? I'm sure it's variable, but what are some values at various stages? What is the max? -- Skip Addison {lll-crg, decwrl, ihnp4}!amdcad!cae780!ubvax!skip
dave@quest.UUCP (David Messer) (02/16/86)
> Can anyone describe the accleration during takeoff, in terms of g's or > length per unit time squared? I'm sure it's variable, but what are some > values at various stages? What is the max? I don't know the G-load during the early part of the flight, but the main engines throttle-down to maintain 3 G's toward the end of their burn. I beleive that 3 G's is the maximum acceleration that is used in the entire flight. Pretty gentle, huh? -- David Messer UUCP: ...ihnp4!quest!dave ...ihnp4!encore!vaxine!spark!14!415!sysop FIDO: 14/415 (SYSOP)
inc@fluke.UUCP (Gary Benson) (02/21/86)
*** REPLACE THIS LINE WITH YOUR MESSAGE *** *** WHOMP DOWN ON THIS ONE TOO OK VERN? *** > > Can anyone describe the accleration during takeoff, in terms of g's or > > length per unit time squared? I'm sure it's variable, but what are some > > values at various stages? What is the max? > > I don't know the G-load during the early part of the flight, but the > main engines throttle-down to maintain 3 G's toward the end of their > burn. I believe that 3 G's is the maximum acceleration that is used > in the entire flight. Pretty gentle, huh? > > David Messer UUCP: ...ihnp4!quest!dave Among it's many other attractions, hearing about the takeoff is one of the things that makes me *really* want to take a ride on the Shuttle. I remember reading a piece where one of the astronauts described it, and he said it felt like a very fast, very smooth elevator. -- Gary Benson * John Fluke Mfg. Co. * PO Box C9090 * Everett WA * 98206 MS/232-E = = {allegra} {uw-beaver} !fluke!inc = = (206)356-5367 _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-ascii is our god and unix is his profit-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_