Charlie

Some of the Mars shots used aero braking by dipping into the upper
atmosphere of Mars. Some were successful and some not as I remember.

Won't go into the why's and where fores but it's possible but may not
be practicable.

Big John
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On 24 Jun 2004 01:35:58 GMT, (Regnirps) wrote:

(Steve VanSickle)

This particular *design* won't work, yes, but why not the "method" (i.e.
moving surfaces to make for a "hands off" reentry)?

I suppose it can be dome somehow, but you are talking 18,000 mph instead of
3,000. If there is a way to skim along and slowly loose energy I'd love to find
it. But as it now stands, as you lose energy you start to drop into more
atmosphere and more drag and loose it faster and drop faster and more heat
and....

Anyway, an ninformed quick calculation. Kinetic energy is proportional to the
square of the velocity. So, 18,000 mph is six times faster than 3,000 mph but
you will have 36 times as much kinetic energy, which will become heat (mostly I
think).

-- Charlie Springer