Shuttle Columbia STS-107 Message Board

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Pastimes : Shuttle Columbia STS-107

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To: J.B.C. who wrote (359)	2/5/2003 2:51:46 PM
From: Bill Jackson	of 627

Jim, Possibly the skipping analogy as in water to air is not as precise. It is an active vertical component in the air column to change the drag to a lower value as heat builds up. The concept of skippin from air to water like a stone might is inaccurate. The shuttle can adjust nose hieght to steer up and down vertically as needed if heating became too great they could lessen it a little this way. Whether or not this would be enough to compensate for a number os missing tiles or a missing cover plate is something only detailed simulation would do. However the exposed metal has a max rate of dissipation, and if that is exceeded a melt through would occur. Thus reducing the heating would lengthen this period of time, possibly until heating decresed as velocit fell. I had though they might use titanium or stainless steel for the skin and not aluminum. "S" turns are effective and shorten the path. If they were not used they would need to start their burn earlier. :S: turns do not seem mandatory, but expedient. Bill

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