How long would it take a space shuttle to fly to the sun?
This probe might reach a maximum speed of 430,000 mi / 692,017 km per hour. This means that the spaceship may get to the Sun in around 216 hours or nine days.
How fast does the space shuttle go when going to the moon?
Answer 1: A rocket ship, on its way to the moon, can get up to almost 25,000 miles per hour in order to escape the Earth’s atmosphere.
Can astronaut go to Sun?
In theory, we could. But the trip is long — the sun is 93 million miles (about 150 million kilometers) away — and we don’t have the technology to safely get astronauts to the sun and back yet. The sun’s surface is about 6,000 Kelvin, which is 10,340 degrees Fahrenheit (5,726 degrees Celsius).
Could the space shuttle fly like an airplane?
The Space Shuttle flies as a glider during reentry and landing. During ascent, thrust is provided by the three Space Shuttle Main Engines (SSME’s) at the base of the orbiter and the two Solid Rocket Boosters (SRB’s) that are joined to the orange External Fuel Tank (ET).
How do space shuttles work?
The engines’ exhaust is primarily water vapor as the hydrogen and oxygen combine. As they push the Shuttle toward orbit, the engines consume liquid fuel at a rate that would drain an average family swimming pool in under 25 seconds generating over 37 million horsepower.
What kind of fuel does the Space Shuttle use?
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.
What is the function of the Space Shuttle external tank?
The main function of the Space Shuttle external tank was to supply the liquid oxygen and hydrogen fuel to the main engines. It was also the backbone of the launch vehicle, providing attachment points for the two solid rocket boosters and the orbiter.
How long do the main engines of the Space Shuttle last?
The main engines continue to operate for 8.5 minutes after launch, the duration of the Shuttle’s powered flight. Image left: The Space Shuttle Main Engines provide part of the thrust that sends the Shuttle into orbit. Click image to play video of engines firing on launch (no audio). Photo credit: NASA