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space fall

Originally posted by: Acanthus
I honestly didnt think they reused them, i figured they just burned up on re-entry.

They're still inside the atmosphere when they're released.
 
Originally posted by: KLin
Originally posted by: Acanthus
I honestly didnt think they reused them, i figured they just burned up on re-entry.

They're still inside the atmosphere when they're released.

Correct. The external fuel tank is what burns up. It's released from much higher up.

Wouldn't it be cool if we'd get video like this back from a future probe to Titan? Parachuting down, with a gooey splashdown in liquid hydrocarbons?
 
Originally posted by: KLin
Originally posted by: Acanthus
I honestly didnt think they reused them, i figured they just burned up on re-entry.

They're still inside the atmosphere when they're released.

Ok, so re-entry was the wrong term, i thought they burned up in the atmosphere from the extreme friction/heat.
 
Originally posted by: Jeff7
Originally posted by: KLin
Originally posted by: Acanthus
I honestly didnt think they reused them, i figured they just burned up on re-entry.

They're still inside the atmosphere when they're released.

Correct. The external fuel tank is what burns up. It's released from much higher up.

Wouldn't it be cool if we'd get video like this back from a future probe to Titan? Parachuting down, with a gooey splashdown in liquid hydrocarbons?

I would seriously pay to see it, NASA could make a fortune selling HD-DVDs of that, use it to fund future programs and get the public interested again. 😀

The fuel tank burning up on re-entry is probably where i got mixed up.
 
Dude! That was the coolest thing I've seen ALL year! Seriously... that was actually really neat. Space-related stuff always fascinates me, having a grandfather who was a NASA/JPL scientist. Thanks for sharing it!
 
Originally posted by: Acanthus
Originally posted by: KLin
Originally posted by: Acanthus
I honestly didnt think they reused them, i figured they just burned up on re-entry.

They're still inside the atmosphere when they're released.

Ok, so re-entry was the wrong term, i thought they burned up in the atmosphere from the extreme friction/heat.

It is impossible to generate enough heat to burn up while still in the atmosphere because you cannot go fast enough on gravity alone, see terminal velocity.
 
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