The rocket-science tag has no wiki summary.
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neutron transport approximations for nuclear rocket modelling
I'm pretty ignorant regarding neutron and nuclear transport modelling, but i'm interested in trying to pursue it for a particular pet project. It regards modelling of nuclear reactions like those ...
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What is the possibility of a railgun assisted orbital launch?
Basic facts: The world's deepest mine is 2.4 miles deep. Railguns can acheive a muzzle velocity of a projectile on the order of 7.5 km/s. The Earth's escape velocity is 11.2 km/s.
It seems to me ...
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1answer
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Oberth Effect in deep space
Does the Oberth effect only apply when in orbit of a planet or would a rocket generate more and more thrust (if kept on) even in deep space?
Wikipedia explains that the faster the rocket goes, the ...
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1answer
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How much Bicarbonate of Soda and Vinegar would I need to reach space?
So here is my problem - as part of my job I present some science demonstrations to children and one of the tricks I regularly use is the bicarb/acetic acid rocket. I thought the other day that a ...
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1answer
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Orbital mechanics and rocketry: Is it ever a good idea to intentionally lower periapsis?
tl;dr: Hohmann Transfer appears to be the optimal way to achieve a circular-to-circular orbit, but is it possible to lower the periapsis in order to achieve a more elliptical orbit with apoapsis at ...
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What properties would the ideal material for spacecraft construction possess?
Assuming we develop the capability to send a robot to study Gliese 518, or any of the Earth-like planets discovered in the neighbourhood; the spacecraft would need to travel through the Solar System ...
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1answer
47 views
Liquid oxygen how do they use it as fuel?
Rockets are said to be using liquid oxygen as fuel. How do they use liquid oxygen since it's just oxygen, it only helps in the combustion process. How can it be a fuel on its own?
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What limits the velocity of ships such as voyager 1?
Voyager 1 travels at a small fraction of light speed. I've read it's fueled by hydrazine, which is a cheap combustive. Questions:
What factors limit the speed of voyager 1 and similar rockets? Are ...
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2answers
238 views
What alternative shapes may a rocket heading into orbit have?
It looks like most rockets that head out of Earth, or even into orbit are pencil shaped (or nearly so). I would take this to mean there is some mass of air such vehicles push out of their way.
What ...
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1answer
148 views
What if Felix Baumgartner went the other way?
How much harder would it have been for Felix to use some powered sled and head for the ISS when he stepped out of his capsule? He was already above most of the atmosphere.
BTW, Is that capsule still ...
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Can someone explain the Hall effect thruster to me?
I am in high school, and am doing a major research project on Russia. Part of that is a section on the space race, and ion engines/hall effect engines have come up several times. Unfortunately, Google ...
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How do aerospace engineers choose a landing system? (Curiosity rover)
The Sojourner rover with the Mars Pathfinder used a entry, descent, and landing system involving airbags to land on Mars.
The Spirit and Opportunity rovers each used more-or-less the same system ...
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Space Rocket Lift Efficiency and the Gyroscope?
I'm no physicist apart from basic 3d web animation, I'm just curious and please feel free to correct my misuse of terms or inadequate speculations.
I've been reading a lot on gyroscopes and ...
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5answers
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Why do rockets have multiple stages?
What is the advantage for rockets to have multiple stages?
Wouldn't a single stage with the same amount of fuel weigh less?
Note I would like a quantitative answer, if possible :-)
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1answer
156 views
Nuclear Salt Water Rockets: viability and follow-up
This is the original paper by R. Zubrin proposing the Nuclear Salt Water Rocket design.
Basically the design is that a capillar set of pipes store a uranium salt-water solution, inside a cadmium ...
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4answers
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Why are there more vertical takeoff than horizontal for spacecrafts?
Vertical takeoff requires disposable rockets (would it a satellite rocket), which is a money loss, and also a lot of fuel, because initial velocity is zero. Also vertical takeoff seems risky, involves ...
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Is the fuel burn for a satellite launch affected by the position of the moon relative to the launch site?
The gross mass of a satellite rocket is tiny compared to that of Earth, and Luna. Between them, however, the two bodies set up tides in bodies of water which itself is again considerable mass.
At ...
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2answers
364 views
At what fraction of the speed of light have people traveled?
I'm guessing that, this would be someone in a rocket or something... When they hit their top speed, at what fraction of $c$ are they traveling?
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Home-made Shock diamond
Is there any way of creating a "home-made" effect of shock diamond phenomenon that I could take a picture of? If so, How could I make one?
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Get into orbit from the Redbull jump position to a satellite position by using a cord/rope?
Its difficult to put this into the title.
I was watching the Redbull Jump and noticed that the height of this is at 39 kilometres (24 mi) the atmosphere pressure is at I believe about 0.4% of that at ...
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1answer
140 views
Rotation of Rockets
I referred the Roll program in space shuttles. But, I can't understand the mechanism. So, They rotate during the launch in order for proper alignment. I know that only tilting, gimbaling or using ...
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1answer
88 views
Would it be economical to add a counterweight to rocket launches?
It seems a large amount of rocket fuel during launches is spent to get the mass moving; indeed according to QuickLaunch, Inc. it takes 40% of the rocket fuel to get to Mach 1.3. It seems as though the ...
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582 views
Why don't rockets tip over when they launch?
Rockets separate from the launch pad and supporting structures very early in flight. It seems like they should tip over once that happens.
Why don't they tip over? Is it due to a well designed ...
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494 views
Difference between deltaV and specific impulse
When reading any literature regarding space propulsion, I keep getting about these terms deltaV and ISP or specific impulse. I know specific impulse is supposed to be the velocity the propellant mass ...
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2answers
220 views
How much thrust would be needed to turn a hobbyist satellite into a deep space probe?
I was reading the article Weather Balloon Space Probes that says you can put your own satellite at 65,000 ft temporarily.
Is it even remotely possible to raise the probe high enough using ...
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3answers
169 views
How empty of fuel are spacecraft booster rockets typically?
A recent XKCD What-if article mentions the situation where each additional kilogram of cargo to LEO requires an additional 1. 3 kilograms of fuel, which in turn requires fuel to carry ...
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What are the most realistic ways of high speed space propulsion?
Liquid and solid chemical fuels in rockets are very expensive and inefficient. I have heard of solar sails but what are the most realistic space travel fuels that will be used in the future to get ...
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413 views
Why do rockets accelerate fastest horizontally?
I've heard that rockets accelerate fastest when travelling horizontally to the ground, not downwards or upwards. Is that true, and why?
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1answer
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Orbits for space missions
I am just wondering say if there is an expedition where some astronauts are sent to the moon, how do they choose the trajectory for the spaceshuttle (or whatnot)? I mean there are many possible ...
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3answers
527 views
Can the technology behind Particle accelerators can be used for space propulsion?
As I understand, the kinetic energy of the proton beam in a hadron collider is quite large. Can you build a space propulsion system that is based on accelerating a proton bean to relativistic speeds ...
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1answer
129 views
ICBM : throw weight and boost phase duration
I've seen a statement, that reducing boost phase duration by 25% of an abstract ICBM would reduce its throw weight by several times.
I don't get how is that possible. Shorter boost phase - less ...
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1answer
224 views
How do I calculate the time it would take for a space craft launching from earth to reach another planet?
I am making a matlab program the my final project for my programming class in college. I have chosen this problem, but I am bashing my head against the wall trying to figure out the equations and how ...
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0answers
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Rocket engines design & materials [closed]
Does anyones know which materials (or type of steel) are used to make rocket engines nozzles & combustion chambers?
What are the tricks to reduce temperature of the engine except trying to cool ...
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2answers
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Quickest “flights” across Atlantic and round the world
With the dawning of the private space industry, if someone was to build a rocket-based craft that powers you up and then glides in for a landing, what would be the quickest you could get across the ...
