StretchMark Posted February 20, 2008 Author Share Posted February 20, 2008 2 sonic boom question: Answer here Link to comment
randys Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 Sonic Booms What causes the two sonic booms as the shuttle is approaching the landing site? As the space shuttle re-enters the atmosphere at supersonic speeds, it creates shock waves that produce sonic booms. There is a shock wave at the orbiter's nose and one at the orbiter's tail as it re-enters These shock waves are created when the pressure disturbances caused by the shuttle flying through the air cannot escape the shuttle. These pressure waves travel at the speed of sound, but the shuttle is flying faster than the speed of sound, so a wave of pressure builds up along the nose and tail. As the shuttle altitude decreases, these pressure waves intersect the ground with a large pressure delta that your ears detect as a boom. In fact, you'll hear not one, but two sonic booms! Because the space shuttle is so large, 37 meters (122 feet) long, you will hear the sonic booms created by both the nose and tail shock waves, which occur about one-half second apart. All supersonic airplanes produce two sonic booms, but because they happen so close to each other, you hear them as one sound. Link to comment
StretchMark Posted February 20, 2008 Author Share Posted February 20, 2008 Gotta be quicker than that Randy Link to comment
KrazyHorse Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 Welcome home Dex and Crew!!! The boom in Vero Beach wasn't house shaking this go around but you could hear it. Very cool. Hopefully the old people in my parent's retirement park aren't freaking out this time. Link to comment
randys Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 Well, I DID say the sonic booms woke me up, lol Link to comment
russell_bynum Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 Sweet! Welcome home Atlantis! Link to comment
philbytx Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 Nice landing eh?!! What a ride..... Link to comment
Les is more Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 A hearty WELCOME HOME!!!!!!!!!!!! Link to comment
Crazy_Canuck Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 Welcome Home DEX! Link to comment
ESokoloff Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 Way to go Dex & crew Link to comment
Tank Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 YEAH BABY---------- Awsome welcome home Earthlings Link to comment
Ron_B Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 Glad you and your crew are safely back on earth. Welcome Home Dex! Link to comment
Effjay Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 Oh, yeah... I was thrilled to see the touchdown live just before 6 AM PST on ABC7 TV. What a sweet landing! Jeff Link to comment
steve.foote Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 I just finished the recap on NASA TV. All I can say is, "What an awesome job!" Welcome home Dex. Link to comment
SteveHebert Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 Welcome home Dex! My students sucked so bad today trying to land some autos, that I had to brag on you a bit. I told them that my friend is falling from space as we speak at a gazillion miles per hour, with very little maneuverability and will have to land on a little piece of concrete that he cannot do a go around on, so get you s*&t together and fly this friggin helicopter!!! That got some strange looks . Link to comment
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