Why did the space shuttle fly upside down and backwards while orbiting the Earth?

When the Shuttle prepares to depart it’s position orbiting the Earth, the first thing it must do is slow down. The Shuttle is slowed by firing the two smallest of the five nozzles on the back of the craft. The deceleration provided ‘flips’ the Space Shuttle over by standing it on end, which puts the belly down.

What angle does the space shuttle re enter at?

The angle of re-entry for the space shuttle was 40 degrees.

Which direction do rockets launch?

Rockets are launched to the east for two reasons: (a) Earth rotates from west to east at a linear velocity of 1675 km/hr and (b) Earth travels eastward in its orbit around Sol (the Sun) at 107,000 km/hr. Thus launching to the east takes advantage of these two motions to give the rocket a big, and free, speed boost.

Why do space shuttles go sideways?

Rockets have to tilt to the side as they travel into the sky in order to reach orbit, or a circular path of motion around the Earth. This steering technique is known as a gravity turn, which uses Earth’s gravity to help conserve rocket fuel and minimize stress and strain on the spacecraft.

Why did the Space Shuttle have to roll on takeoff?

The main reason the Space Transportation System, or Space Shuttle as it is popularly known, rolled belly up after lift-off was to reduce vehicle stress and increase vehicle performance. Early analysis showed that rolling to a “heads down” attitude would reduce aerodynamic loads and stresses on the vehicle.

How hot did the Space Shuttle get on reentry?

3000 degrees Fahrenheit
During re-entry, the shuttle is going so fast, it compresses the air ahead of it. The compression of the air layers near the leading edges of the shuttle is quick, causing the temperature of the air to rise to as high as 3000 degrees Fahrenheit! Being in contact with the shuttle, it heats the shuttle’s surface.

Why does the Space Shuttle fly upside down?

Why are space shuttles launched near the equator?

This speed will help the spacecraft keep up a good enough speed to stay in orbit. The land at the equator is moving 1670 km per hour, and land halfway to the pole is only moving 1180 km per hour, so launching from the equator makes the spacecraft move almost 500 km/hour faster once it is launched.

What is the Shuttle orbiter’s orientation?

Orbiter. Once in space, the shuttle orbiter is your home for seven to 14 days. The orbiter can be oriented so that the cargo bay doors face toward the Earth or away from the Earth depending upon the mission objectives; in fact, the orientation can be changed throughout the mission. One of the first things that the commander will do is to open…

How long do Space Shuttles stay in orbit?

The Space Shuttle in Orbit. Orbiter. Once in space, the shuttle orbiter is your home for seven to 14 days. The orbiter can be oriented so that the cargo bay doors face toward the Earth or away from the Earth depending upon the mission objectives; in fact, the orientation can be changed throughout the mission.

Why do space shuttles have to curve around Earth?

Everything (not only space shuttles) that goes into the Earth orbit must curve its path on the way up. If a vehicle went straight up and did not achieve escape velocity, it would fall back to Earth after the fuel runs out.

What was the weather like when the Space Shuttle was launched?

All Space Shuttle missions were launched from Kennedy Space Center (KSC). The weather criteria used for launch included, but were not limited to: precipitation, temperatures, cloud cover, lightning forecast, wind, and humidity. The Shuttle was not launched under conditions where it could have been struck by lightning.