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Mach 10 X43A Flight Successful

Posted by timothy on from the heck-of-a-commute dept.

Sector Bug writes "NASA's X43A research aircraft made its third and final flight today, firing its scramjet engine at Mach 10 (7,000 MPH) or close to it, setting a new record. "

3 of 370 comments (clear)

  1. Muuuuch better shot for scale... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    ...had to hunt for it, but here it is:

    http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0106/02x43failure/ x43.jpg

  2. That 's around 12 000 Km/h by ArcticCelt · · Score: 5, Informative
    That's around 12 000 Km/h for those who use the more civilized metric system.

    (sorry I know this debate is a classic but miles say nothing to me and I guess that many international slashdoters feel the same)

    --

    Yahh, hiii haaaaa! -Major Kong, from Dr. Strangelove
  3. WRONG by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Not even close.

    Hubbles orbital speed is approximately 16,900 miles per hour.

    You are not even close. He was asking about orbital ROCKETS! Not objects in orbit. Orbital rockets are the things that lift the satellites into orbit.

    The space shuttle does not get anywhere near 16,900 mph on lift off. That is the speed it gradually gets to once in orbit, NOT ON LIFT OFF.

    After 60 seconds, the Shuttle has accelerated to Mach 1 (the speed of sound). About one minute later (two minutes into the flight), the solid rockets burn the last of their fuel. By this time the shuttle is over 25 miles high. The now-empty solid rockets are released in order to reduce the weight carried the rest of the way to orbit. [They parachute into the ocean off the Florida coast, and are recovered to be refilled with fuel and used again.]

    After the solid rockets are released, the shuttle is still attached to the external tank and its launch engines are still being fed propellants from the tank. When the shuttle reaches an altitude of about 57 miles, it changes trajectory to fly more horizontally, and pick up speed. In order to achieve orbit, it needs to accelerate to approximately 17,500 mph (~5 miles/sec). Once it reaches this critical speed (about 8-1/2 minutes after lift-off), the shuttle launch engines are shut off, and the shuttle separates from the external tank. The tank re-enters the atmosphere and burns up on re-entry. It is the only part of the Shuttle system that cannot be used again.