"Danny Deger" wrote in message
...
Why does the shuttle throttle to 3 Gs on ascent?

Danny Deger

As the shuttle ascends, the dynamic pressure (in slugs/sq.in) increases as
the square of the velocity. The shuttle is throttled back to 65% thrust to
avoid over stress at a speed computed under what is called critical q.
As the shuttle ascends, it is ascending into lower air density (which of
course transfers into a lowering dynamic pressure). The throttling back
takes the shuttle through a transition area during the ascent that ends as
the lowering air density meets the parameters that allow throttle up. This I
believe occurs at about 35 to 37K.
The point where lowering air density meets the ability to throttle up again
is the max q for the shuttle. (Max q meaning maximum dynamic pressure)
After reaching max q, the shuttle is go for throttle up as the increasing
velocity past max q will never exceed the structural limitations of the
shuttle due to it's entrance into lower air density that doesn't have the
ability to overstress the structure.
Hope this helps a bit.
Dudley Henriques