Shuttle Ride

I've read that the shuttle pilots "only" experience about 3 g's during lift
off to orbit - less than a big roller coaster ride, way less than a dragster
or a fighter jet. But they do endure the g force for much longer - something
like 10 minutes before they get into orbit. That would be the part that
would get me. I love roller coasters, and have been on the "world's largest,
fastest" (which changes every year). But I know the ride will be over in 180
seconds or so. Also, I wonder how loud and dramatic the ride is inside the
shuttle - from the video it looks incredible - like being inside of a huge
controlled explosion... which is what it is, I suppose.

Click on the launch in the video section of the page. Sorry about the ads,
there is probably a better link available for this.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/...in711644.shtml

Michael

I have heard that the whole contraption is groaning and clanking during the
powered portion of the flight. Probably because of all the attached
external parts.

Mike
MU-2


"Michael 182" wrote in message
...
I've read that the shuttle pilots "only" experience about 3 g's during
lift off to orbit - less than a big roller coaster ride, way less than a
dragster or a fighter jet. But they do endure the g force for much
longer - something like 10 minutes before they get into orbit. That would
be the part that would get me. I love roller coasters, and have been on
the "world's largest, fastest" (which changes every year). But I know the
ride will be over in 180 seconds or so. Also, I wonder how loud and
dramatic the ride is inside the shuttle - from the video it looks
incredible - like being inside of a huge controlled explosion... which is
what it is, I suppose.

Click on the launch in the video section of the page. Sorry about the
ads, there is probably a better link available for this.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/...in711644.shtml

Michael

i understand tht the first two minutes while the SRBs are burning are
rough . . with some saying that it can be hard to read the panel.
Apparently things smooth out a lot once the solids are gone with the
term "Electric Ride" being used to describe the last two or three
minutes of the SSME burn as they gently throttle back to maintain the
3G acceleration.

I have always wondered about reentry. How smooth is it . . . is there
much, if any noise associated with it? At what point do you start
feeling turbulence? It may be with the benign weather they seek to
land in and the vehicle's high wing loading, you dont feel many bumps.
Having learned to fly in Florida though . . . it seems that there could
never be a smooth ride on a summer afternoon.

Blue skies

John

I've heard it described as a barely restrained dragon
while sitting on the pad all fueld and ready to go.

It creaks and groans and the venting of the propellant boiloff makes hisssing noises...