Why does the shuttle throttle on ascent?
Mxsmanic wrote:
The foam does the damage because of the high speed that it has when it hits
the shuttle.
If there was no drag, the foam would not hit with any force; it would be
going the same speed as the shuttle.
When a chunk of foam falls off, it is the drag of the stationary atmosphere
slowing the foam so effectively and rapidly, that causes the relative
closing speeds of the now nearly stationary foam hitting the speeding
shuttle.
That's what he said.
Actually, even with no atmosphere around the foam would still move
rearwards- because the Shuttle is still accelerating after it falls off.
Pat
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