Common questions

Do space shuttles run on gas?

Do space shuttles run on gas?

As the Shuttle accelerates, the main engines burn a half-million gallons of liquid propellant provided by the large, orange external fuel tank. The main engines burn liquid hydrogen — the second coldest liquid on Earth at minus 423 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 252.8 degrees Celsius) — and liquid oxygen.

Can a spaceship stop in space?

Space ships do not stop when they run out of fuel. As a result, there is essentially zero friction in space to slow down moving objects. Unlike ships in water, a ship in space does not need constant thrust to keep moving forward.

How much fuel does Falcon 9 use per second?

At full power, the 9 engines consumed 3,200 lbs of fuel and liquid oxygen per second, and generated almost 850,000 pounds of thrust.

Why does the Falcon 9 use kerosene?

SpaceX uses Kerosene in Falcon Rockets because up until 2007; there were no Methane engines. And Kerosene is cheaper, denser, stable at room temperature. It’s easy to handle, is not toxic like hypergolic propellent, easily transportable, and has no leakage issue similar to Liquid Hydrogen (LH2).

Can you come to a dead stop in space?

There’s no such thing as a standstill, period. An object can only be at a standstill relative to some specific other object. Everything in space is moving in different directions and speeds. You can be orbiting Earth at a standstill relative to a point on Earth’s surface, called a geosynchronous orbit.

How many miles per gallon does the Space Shuttle get?

Answer Wiki. Roughly 8.3 miles per gallon. This is a little tricky to work out because space travel is immensely different from driving a car, but here’s how I arrived at this particular value: roughly 135 shuttle missions totalling 513.7 million miles is roughly 3.8 million miles average for a single mission.

How many engines does a Space Shuttle have?

One Space Shuttle Main Engine generates enough thrust to maintain the flight of 2.5 Boeing 747s.

How are fuel cells used in the Space Shuttle?

Fuel Cell Use in the Space Shuttle. Fuel cells are used in the space shuttle as one component of the electrical power system. Three fuel cell power plants, through a chemical reaction, generate all of the electrical power for the vehicle from launch through landing rollout. Before launch, electrical power is provided by ground power supplies …

What is the temperature of the main engine on a Space Shuttle?

Combustion is completed in the main combustion chamber. Temperatures in the main engine combustion chamber can reach as high as 6,000 degrees Fahrenheit (3,315.6 degrees Celsius). Image right: Space Shuttle Main Engines being installed on Discovery at the Orbiter Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.

Answer Wiki. Roughly 8.3 miles per gallon. This is a little tricky to work out because space travel is immensely different from driving a car, but here’s how I arrived at this particular value: roughly 135 shuttle missions totalling 513.7 million miles is roughly 3.8 million miles average for a single mission.

One Space Shuttle Main Engine generates enough thrust to maintain the flight of 2.5 Boeing 747s.

Fuel Cell Use in the Space Shuttle. Fuel cells are used in the space shuttle as one component of the electrical power system. Three fuel cell power plants, through a chemical reaction, generate all of the electrical power for the vehicle from launch through landing rollout. Before launch, electrical power is provided by ground power supplies

Combustion is completed in the main combustion chamber. Temperatures in the main engine combustion chamber can reach as high as 6,000 degrees Fahrenheit (3,315.6 degrees Celsius). Image right: Space Shuttle Main Engines being installed on Discovery at the Orbiter Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.

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Ruth Doyle