NASA Stuff
For some time now, I've been swearing that I'd actually write one of these posts and not mention birds. (The great theory was to have the occasional "coffee table chat" that would mull social, political, scientific, and entertainment stuff, and not birds, birds, birds each time every time. Ummm, that hasn't worked out so well...)
So let's have another go at it shall we? How about NASA TV? While I was working on one of the machines today, I tuned in to a couple of ISS folk doing their EVAs (Extra Vehicular Activities) and marveled at the process in real time. Here are a couple of screen shots...
In the first picture, you can clearly see the astronaut (sideways) going about his work. In the next, the earth slides by 220 miles below. Hey! Wanna see how an orbit works? (Yeah, I knew you would.) Check out the drawing to the below left.
Not bad, eh? Okay, to understand orbiting, consider the little stick guy standing on his tiny world in the top diagram of this artistic masterpiece. He's just fired a gun (the square box in his hand) skyward and the bullet has obviously arced but fallen victim to gravity. In the next drawing, more ballistic "oomph" made the bullet fare slightly better, but it still fell from ethereal grace. But the last fella... The last stick man used a gun powerful enough to make the bullet go high enough, fast enough, and on the right trajectory such that it keeps falling as it follows the curvature of the tiny world. Of course, there's a balancing act - too fast and too high, and the bullet shoots off into space... too low and too slow, and the projectile comes crashing down as in the first two attempts.
And that's the trick with the shuttle... We need to launch 4,000,000 pounds (2,000 tons) of fuel, vehicle, and payload, and get it up to 17,000 mph to hit that magic 200+ mile mark. If we do that just right and get the angles perfect... Whee! We're in orbit. Of course, the energy required to pull off this stunt is equal to opening 13 Hoover Dams all at once...
On second thought, I think I'll stick with the birds.
See you by the feeders,
CapeCodAlan
Cornell Ornithology Laboratory: Inside Birding
Cornell Ornithology Laboratory: All About Birding
Comments
WOW! Just wow! You DO describe things extremely well. Thanks.
Posted by: Josie | November 21, 2009 11:06 PM
Thanks!
Hat tip to my old physics prof, Dr. Tomlinson...
Posted by: CapeCodAlan | November 22, 2009 12:48 AM
CCA,
Speaking of Orbits, I was privileged to fly the WWI P-51 Mustang "warbird" two weeks ago. I'm still coming back down to Mother Earth. That was a "life's dream come true" until Dave Price of The Early Morning Show flew in an Air Force U-2 last week. Difference between him and me, I flew the plane, he was a passenger.
Catch my upcoming article about my flight in this plane doing aerobatics, and other "shananagins", at 15,000feet, in the usual place.
BTW, enjoyed your "orbital" posting as usual.
Cheers,
Harry "Gipper" Morris
Posted by: Harry Morris | November 22, 2009 10:12 AM
Hi Harry,
Wow! You flew a P-51?!? Cool!!! Forget the U-2 in my book... Price can keep it - I don't care how high it flies.
But my favorite of all time is the DC-3. Yeah, I know, it's a lumbering ol' workhorse, but I love her. I've flown on the Douglas twice. It's more floating than flying. If you ever get a chance to fly on one, take it. (Ah... You probably already have...) Anyway, That's my sweetheart.
Congrats on the Mustang!
Alan
Posted by: CapeCodAlan | November 22, 2009 8:54 PM
I read on internet land that NASA decided to do a manned mission to Mars by August, 1982, but that Viet Nam war was so costly. That mission would have been a drop inside the fiscal bucket, compared to the military spending in those days. Comparing the value of a manned mission to Mars to that of slugging it out in Southeast Asia, I vote Mars, entirely. We lost Viet Nam; what a waste. We lost our earlier journey to Mars; what a waste. Now, we certainly have economical woes and budget cuts. Once again, Mars usually takes the back seat only to fall out of the vehicle. What can we do avoiding strike three?
Posted by: Devin-Weiss | April 3, 2010 5:05 AM