What is the volume of a space shuttle?
2,500 cubic ft.
The space shuttle can accommodate six astronauts and has a massive habitable volume of 2,500 cubic ft. (71.5 cubic meters).
How big is the space shuttle crew compartment?
2,325 cu.ft
You will live in the crew compartment, which is located in the forward fuselage. The crew compartment has 2,325 cu. ft of space with the airlock inside or 2,625 cu. ft with the airlock outside.
How much cargo can a space shuttle carry?
65,000 pounds
The cargo/payload carrying capacity was limited by the 18.3-m- (60-ft)-long by 4.6-m- (15-ft)- wide payload bay. The cargo/payload weighed up to 29,000 kg (65,000 pounds), depending on the desired orbital inclination.
How thick is the windshield on the space shuttle?
6 inch thick plate of fused silica glass, approx- imately 35″ x 45″. There are six thermal panes in the windshield, two in the overhead windows (observation windows) and one in the side hatch.
What fuel is used in Space Shuttle?
liquefied hydrogen
At -423 degrees Fahrenheit, the engine’s fuel, liquefied hydrogen, is the second coldest liquid on Earth. When it and the liquid oxygen are com- bined and combusted, the temperature in the main combustion chamber is 6,000 degrees Fahrenheit, hotter than the boiling point of iron.
How much is rocket fuel per gallon?
According to a NASA-published fact sheet, LOX and LH propellant costs the Agency about $1.65 a gallon. So very roughly, last month’s test firing probably cost taxpayers about $346,500 — or $647.66 per second over the course of a nine-minute test.
Which part of the space shuttle is not reused?
external fuel tank
All of the components are reused except for the external fuel tank, which burns up in the atmosphere after each launch. The longest the Shuttle has stayed in orbit on any single mission is 17.5 days on mission STS-80 in November 1996.
Is the space shuttle cargo bay pressurized?
About the same size and weight as a DC-9 aircraft, the Orbiter contains the pressurized crew compartment (which can normally carry up to seven crew members), the huge cargo bay, and the three main engines mounted on its aft end. Image left: Parts of the Orbiter.
How much does it cost to put 1 pound into space?
Today, it costs $10,000 to put a pound of payload in Earth orbit. NASA’s goal is to reduce the cost of getting to space to hundreds of dollars per pound within 25 years and tens of dollars per pound within 40 years.
How much does space food cost?
It also charges between $40 and $1,500 per person per day for crew supplies and $2,000 per person per day for food.
How hot does a shuttle get on reentry?
It converts to heat (from friction) caused by the atmosphere’s molecules striking its leading edges. This heat makes the Shuttle’s surfaces reach temperatures of up to 1477° C (2691° F).
Why are space shuttle tiles black?
The tiles exposed to reentry temperatures of up to 2,300 degrees Fahrenheit, such as those on portions of the belly, are given a protective coating of black glass. Black tiles work by reflecting about 90 percent of the heat they’re exposed to back into the atmosphere, while the tiles’ interior absorbs the rest.
How much fuel did Neil Armstrong have left?
With only 30 seconds of fuel left in the tank, Armstrong guided the Eagle softly down onto its impromptu landing site that, moments later, would become “Tranquility Base”—the first (temporary) human outpost on the moon.
Why is Space Shuttle fuel tank orange?
It gets its signature orange color from the foam insulation sprayed on the tank’s aluminum structure. The insulation helps the tank act as a thermos bottle to keep the super cold propellants from evaporating too quickly.
Which oil is used in rocket?
kerosene
The petroleum used as rocket fuel is a type of highly refined kerosene, called RP-1 in the United States. Petroleum fuels are usually used in combination with liquid oxygen as the oxidizer.
What fuel does a space shuttle use?
How many space shuttles have crashed?
Most rockets and shuttles launch from the Earth, reach their destinations, and safely return to the surface. However, there have been three major disasters in the history of spaceflight that have resulted in an irreversible loss of human life. Those who lost their lives sacrificed everything in the name of discovery.
Why did NASA stop using the space shuttle?
All of these factors — high costs, slow turnaround, few customers, and a vehicle (and agency) that had major safety problems — combined to make the Bush administration realize it was time for the Space Shuttle Program to retire.
Could a space shuttle go to the moon?
Can the Space Shuttle fly to the Moon? A. No, the Space Shuttle is designed to travel in low-Earth orbit (within a few hundred miles of the Earth’s surface). It does not carry enough propellant to leave Earth’s orbit and travel to the Moon.
How fast is a space shuttle launch?
To reach the minimum altitude required to orbit the Earth, the space shuttle must accelerate from zero to 8,000 meters per second (almost 18,000 miles per hour) in eight and a half minutes. It takes a very unique vehicle to accomplish this.
Are you allowed to launch your own satellite?
The answer to both questions is yes. Many U.S. commercial satellite owners launch their satellites on non- U.S. rockets, primarily European or Russian rockets; while U.S. owned and operated vehicles launch satellites owned by non- U.S. companies.
Is SpaceX cheaper than NASA?
SpaceX is 10X cheaper with 30X lower cost overrun than NASA in lifting payload into space. Why? Because SpaceX is platform-based, NASA not.
What food is not allowed in space?
Here are five foods that NASA Astronauts can’t eat in space:
- Bread. U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
- Alcohol. United States Embassy, Berlin.
- Salt and Pepper. Getty Images / iStock.
- Soda. Getty Images / iStock.
- Astronaut Ice Cream.
What happens if astronauts run out of food?
This means that if resupply missions were halted, the crew would run out of food way before they ran out of water or oxygen. Aboard the space station, all the water vapor exhaled by astronauts — as well as the sweat and urine they excrete — is purified back into fresh water for them to use.
Would a person burn up on reentry?
“Objects coming back from space are traveling at many times Mach speed — faster than the speed of sound — so to keep from burning up or breaking up they must be protected from the intense heat caused by that friction.”