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Questions tagged [max-q]

The point during the launch where the aero-dynamical stress on the launch vehicle is highest.

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2 votes
1 answer
2k views

Is it possible to calculate Max-Q without having to input an altitude

Is it possible to calculate max-q based on just upwards velocity instead of specially inputting a given altitude/air density? Based on this graph of Falcon 9 launches till MECO below "Air Pressure vs. ...
UndefinedUsername's user avatar
9 votes
1 answer
1k views

Just how much can tall skinny rockets bend? (roughly, safely)

Below is a GIF I prepared and used in an earlier question, and the answer seems quite reasonable. With a height to diameter ratio of about 70 m to 3.7 m (nearly 20:1) a weight-conscious design, ...
uhoh's user avatar
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1 vote
3 answers
1k views

How is max Q for the shuttle actually defined?

In this article about max Q https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Q the shuttle launch is discussed. Since there are four distinct large objects - two boosters, one shuttle and one giant tank - there ...
uhoh's user avatar
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15 votes
2 answers
3k views

Could one survive a ride into orbit outside a rocket?

Another question asked whether a Falcon 9 class rocket could reach orbit with a person (-like mass) duct-taped to the outside of it, in spite of the resulting mass asymmetry. The consensus of one ...
Peter - Reinstate Monica's user avatar
26 votes
6 answers
10k views

Why aren't rockets built with truss structures inside their fuel & oxidizer tanks to increase structural strength?

I've been wondering how a rocket fuselage can support all the weight of the upper stages when it is only made of a cylinder of very thin sheet metal. (Especially considering acceleration, vibration ...
Johnny Robinson's user avatar
7 votes
1 answer
769 views

What will Max Q for descent be? [duplicate]

I've seen lots of flight profiles that give Max Q during ascent. Around 33 to 35 kilopascals, if memory serves. But I have been having a hard time finding Max Q during descent. With the recent reuse ...
HopDavid's user avatar
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31 votes
4 answers
3k views

Has Max-Q historically been a common failure point in rocket launches?

I believe that it's common knowledge that Max-Q is the point in which a rocket is undergoing the maximum dynamic stress during a launch and ascent. But, how often have rockets actually been destroyed ...
Milwrdfan's user avatar
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0 votes
1 answer
133 views

When did the Astra Space test flight 006 actually reach max-Q? There is substantial disagreement in the audio feed of the launch (Launch Vehicle 0006)

Watching the NASA Spaceflight video Astra Test Flight (Launch Vehicle 0006) linked below it seems the launch was terminated, but at least on the video there was no audible Earth-shattering kaboom. ...
uhoh's user avatar
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