Would would the explosion be comparable to...

[tranceport]

Would would the explosion be comparable to if the space shuttle hit a major city like Houston?

I realize there are safety measures to prevent this, let's ignore these for now.

Please assume all that it was full of fuel as if still on take off pad. No cargo in shuttle.

 

[Colt45]

Still on the take off pad... you mean with the boosters? cause they don't land like that 😉

 

[PottedMeat]

Originally posted by: tranceport
Would would the explosion be comparable to if the space shuttle hit a major city like Houston?

I realize there are safety measures to prevent this, let's ignore these for now.

Don't all launches go east of Cape Canaveral - you know, over the Atlantic?

I guess a crash would be the energy of #(gallons of H2 + O2) + 2 SRBs + total KE of shuttle -> whatever tons of TNT.

 

[tranceport]

Originally posted by: PottedMeat

Originally posted by: tranceport
Would would the explosion be comparable to if the space shuttle hit a major city like Houston?

I realize there are safety measures to prevent this, let's ignore these for now.

Don't all launches go east of Cape Canaveral - you know, over the Atlantic?

I guess a crash would be the energy of #(gallons of H2 + O2) + 2 SRBs + total KE of shuttle -> whatever tons of TNT.

It heads towards Spain roughly. For the first few minutes it seems to actually be headed northeast along the coast of the US. So yes basically over the Atlantic. It's also headed away from earth. 😉

Maybe you can decifer some information from this document I found. http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/n...0004136_1972004136.pdf

Originally posted by: Colt45
Still on the take off pad... you mean with the boosters? cause they don't land like that 😉

Yes... The idea was for you to assume it took off and immediately crashed into a major city. The solid rocket boosters and the hydrogen and oxygen tank were both at full capacity and unburned.

 

[Gunbuster]

The TPS would fail at anything near orbital velocity insertion. Shuttle would break up and burn up, maybe a burning chunk would crush a car, person, or a building.

 

[bobsmith1492]

Originally posted by: tranceport

Originally posted by: PottedMeat

Originally posted by: tranceport
Would would the explosion be comparable to if the space shuttle hit a major city like Houston?

I realize there are safety measures to prevent this, let's ignore these for now.

Don't all launches go east of Cape Canaveral - you know, over the Atlantic?

I guess a crash would be the energy of #(gallons of H2 + O2) + 2 SRBs + total KE of shuttle -> whatever tons of TNT.

It heads towards Spain roughly. For the first few minutes it seems to actually be headed northeast along the coast of the US. So yes basically over the Atlantic. It's also headed away from earth. 😉

Maybe you can decifer some information from this document I found. http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/n...0004136_1972004136.pdf

Originally posted by: Colt45
Still on the take off pad... you mean with the boosters? cause they don't land like that 😉

Yes... The idea was for you to assume it took off and immediately crashed into a major city. The solid rocket boosters and the hydrogen and oxygen tank were both at full capacity and unburned.

The question at that point is... how fast would it be going?

 

[BrownTown]

We have all seen the Challenger explosion, it was pretty big, would probably take out several blocks and start all kinds of fires. AS for 100% fully fueled, there are PLENTY of videos of rockets capable of reaching space blowing up on the launch pad. It is a HUGE explosion, but nothing out of this world.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNsJUmFrUCA

 

[dinkumthinkum]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13qeX98tAS8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oDRsydQ730

enjoy.

 

[WHAMPOM]

Originally posted by: tranceport
Would would the explosion be comparable to if the space shuttle hit a major city like Houston?

I realize there are safety measures to prevent this, let's ignore these for now.

Please assume all that it was full of fuel as if still on take off pad. No cargo in shuttle.

The space shuttle is an empty shell with just enough fuel for maneuvering and breaking orbit. A crater, an intense brief hydrogen burn, secondary fires, say about a square block of primary damage.

 

[sao123]

probably not much more than any of the apollo rockets which blew up on the pad.