Questions tagged [spacecraft]
Questions regarding the craft that house humans or equipment during space exploration.
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Escaping Earth - how could one attempt to find the best solution to this trajectory optimization problem in practice?
If there is a satellite in low Earth orbit, with a limited delta-v budget (but high enough to escape Earth) and limited delta-v-rate (thrust), how could one find an acceleration schedule and ...
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Does NASA, SpaceX, or another space agency have any plans to include a tanning bed(s) inside their spacecrafts?
I would like to know if NASA, SpaceX, or another space agency, has plans to include one or more tanning beds inside their spacecrafts for journeys to other planets, whether those planets are located ...
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How does JUICE navigate autonomously
Introduction
To kick things off, I'd like to introduce myself as a 23-year-old novice learner when it comes to space exploration but I've been listening to astronomy-specific podcasts since 2022 and I'...
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Wouldn't it be easier to send human heads instead entire human bodies for space exploration? [closed]
A major part of what makes human space exploration extremely difficult is the infrastructure required to support the human body outside earth. It requires resources just to launch into space due to ...
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Are the things I'm seeing satellites?
I have seen objects that look like satellites, but there are many of them, and they move in one direction in a straight line. Can someone help me to understand what they are?
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What is the cheapest/simplest way to deliver a camera to the moon? [closed]
The primary objective is this: to deliver a camera to the moon that live streams to Earth throughout the journey AND once it arrives on the moon.
A bonus is if it can then move around on the Moon.
An ...
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Why is a cartoon character visible in the artist's rendition of the McDonnell Douglas X-33 proposal?
I think I have figured out the what, it’s just the who, when, where and why that I don’t have the answer to.
In 1995 during Phase I of the X-33 program NASA received proposals from Rockwell, McDonnell ...
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Energy Needed for Lunar Lander to Ascend?
Is it possible to calculate how much energy was expended when the Apollo 11 lunar lander ascended from the Moon's surface to join the Command Module in lunar orbit?
Many relevant parameters for the ...
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Unknown Kistler Spacecraft
I've just watched the Hazegrayart "Kistler reusable spacecraft - a spacex competitor", and I have... a few questions.
Like:
What was the spacecraft called?
How far did the project get?
Did ...
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What are the safe structural elements of spacecraft that could be used for on-orbit capture?
I know this depends on the general configuration of a spacecraft, but I am hoping to gain some insights. Assuming you have a servicer spacecraft with an abstracted capture mechanism (i.e., end ...
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Geofence - satellite contact time
I need to find the access/contact times for a satellite passing through a random geofence (polygon). Is there a python library or any code to integrate the geofence to the orbit of the satellite to ...
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Moving target during rendezvous
I am currently studying rendezvous and docking. I noticed the elliptic Hill equations only consider the acceleration of the target satellite due to its elliptic orbit (and fictitious forces in LVLH ...
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Spacecraft attitude: rotation between ECI, LVLH, and Body frames
I'm starting to study spacecraft attitude control and I'm quite confused about the attitude representation in different frames.
By reading a bunch of textbooks and papers, I understood that I can ...
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If a spacecraft's double hull filled with water is hit by a micrometeorite, could the water freezing or surface tension stop the leak?
I'm thinking about the possibilities of water storage also serving radiation shielding for long space journeys (months to years).
Assume within the solar system but outside of upper earth orbit. ...
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Why are some satellite solar arrays arranged in a zig-zag pattern
Some of the solar panel arrays I've seen on satellites are arranged in this weird zig-zag pattern.
Even when they're fully deployed they still have this arrangement. Why? What's the benefit from doing ...
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How did NASA avoid a repeat of the Mars Polar Lander failure?
One of the most likely causes of the MPL (Mars Polar Lander) crash landing on Mars was the deployment of the legs being mistaken by the onboard computer as touchdown. Phoenix (and later InSight) ...
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Given the current state of technology, what would make bullet-sized interplanetary spacecraft technically impossible?
[Image: original source https://www.quora.com/How-many-types-of-bullets-do-we-have]
For example, if a spacecraft does not need a control module, propulsion or means of communication. All it is tasked ...
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How many printed novels have been in space to date?
I am talking about actual novels brought for recreational purposes. As in manuals don't count. Also, I would like to know who and on what mission these were brought.
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Papers/studies about shedding aerodynamic lifting surfaces with booster
(This post has been updated to fulfil community guidelines on specificity)
Here's my relevant scenario:
A lifting-body Orbital Vehicle, and a turboramjet booster that (the most important part) ...
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Why is insulation used in spacecraft thermal control?
The temperature of spaceships can range from -126° C to 149° C. Wouldn't it be better for the spaceship envelope to have as high a thermal conductivity as possible to even out the temperatures (the ...
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Calculation of the total energy of a spaceplane
I am trying to calculate the total energy change of a spaceplane during its flight time. From the data I have and the calculations I made, I created an excel table in which I included:
flight time : ...
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What are these on the Gemini Spacecraft?
What are these (circled in red) protruding from the retrograde section of the Gemini spacecraft?
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Can the location of gas bubbles in a tank in a spacecraft in zero gravity be influenced? [duplicate]
Can the location of gas bubbles in a tank in a spacecraft in zero gravity be influenced? They for sure cannot be determined, then I guess they also cannot be influenced?
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Using orbital construction around another body to build probes
It's what it sounds like:
I want to know whether sending a probe builder to orbit a moon or a planet (for this question I'm thinking of Titan or another smallish body in the outer system.), to build ...
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What changes to Voyager could have been made? [closed]
If during the planning and construction of the Voyager missions they knew what we know now, what changes to the missions would have been most helpful in augmenting the science obtained?
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With increased space exploration missions, are we affecting earth's mass?
This questions may seem naive, but, worth pondering:
As humans keep sending more and more missions to space (outside earth's system), the earth is being affected in the following ways:
Earth is ...
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Weld joints in Orbiter
Is there any document detailing the total number of weld joints in NASA Orbiter and how each of them are inspected and qualified?
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What happened to ArgoMoon?
The primary objective of the Italian ArgoMoon cubesat was to image the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS) after being jettisoned from it.
Argotec engineers noticed the inability of the Interim ...
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How to get the reduction in Heat Flux due to Barbecue Roll on Spacecraft?
As we know, to keep the surface of the spacecraft relatively cool, we spin the spacecraft so that not just one side of the spacecraft is heated.
Due to this what is the effective Heat Flux encountered ...
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What do they call “all the provisions provided during the launch campaign or atmospheric re-entry of a spacecraft“ in the context of astronautics?
I am reading an entry in a French dictionary and translating it into English. This entry is “sauvegarde.” In a general context, this term is translated as “safeguard,” “protection,” or even “...
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How much does it cost to return 1 kg from the ISS to the Earth? What are the parameters influencing this price?
I heard in a few places downmass is a limiting factor in the ISS national lab capacity. Is that true?
According to NASA's pricing plan, it actually costs more to get downmass than upmass. Why is that?
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During spacecraft reentry why is heatshield side down the most stable orientation?
During reentry, why is the orientation of the spacecraft where the heat shield side leads the vehicle the most stable?
I'm not sure how accurate KSP is, but when I reenter the atmosphere headshield ...
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Does a capsule rotate naturally during atmospheric re-entry?
If during atmospheric re-entry a capsule (with a shifted center of mass to produce lift) does not produce any rcs thrust, will the capsule naturally roll? and why?
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What is the most promising fusion technology for rocket propulsion?
Given current fusion technology (barely above q=1 as of the 12/12/22), is a fusion plasma torch rocket engine viable?
I'm asking in terms of basic science, not engineering, as I know this would ...
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What is the minimum number of thrusters required to control attitude, propulsion and spin?
What is the minimum number of thrusters required to control attitude, propulsion and spin?
The first part of this problem (attitude) was asked in What is the minimum number of RCS thrusters capable of ...
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What makes a spacecraft maintain its trajectory?
I have searched a lot about this topic and also got similar questions but not the answers that I wanted. All answers talk about the engines that the spacecraft uses but how is that done?
I came to ...
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Orbital Supercomputer for Martian and Outer Planet Computing
As we know, computing will (and really has) been important to research missions for space science and exploration.
I read about the Spacebourne Computer program HPE and NASA used for the ISS as proof ...
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HTOL vs VTOL first stages
For a generic launch vehicle, would Horizontal Take off be better than VTOL like most orbital launch vehicles?
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Cause for Artemis Spacecraft bumpy surface
I watched NASA's YT transmission (TL code 04:06:30) of the launch and I noticed a bumpy surface on the middle section while it deployed the Solar arrays and shortly before separation of the mid-...
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What could spacecraft do with much more available power? Are spacecraft power limited?
I'm curious about how spacecraft would benefit having much more power for the same total mass. Solar panels are getting lighter, but would the extra power they could generate bring benefits to space ...
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Will the initial velocity of an object in space get multiplied if a constant acceleration is applied? [closed]
Imagine an object travelling in space in the speed of 60 Kmph which took acceleration x
if accelerated with the same x, will the object travel faster than 60 Kmph or travel in the same speed cuz of ...
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Why does the presence of ice and organics (carbon, ammonia, water, etc) matter in space exploration?
For example, several missions have been launched just to find ice at the lunar poles. Why do astronomers and space agencies care so much about there being ice somewhere?
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How to find cost data for commercially available spacecraft components?
I'm trying to research how much it should cost to build a small spacecraft, but it's super hard to find good information on the cost of various components. Can anyone suggest any good resources? For ...
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How do we ensure that during reentry or descent of spent stages, it doesnt hit any aircraft or incoming rocket?
When a rocket is launched, stages are separated at different intervals and altitude. The lower stages usually descend immediately while upper stages and orbital platforms usually last in space a bit ...
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What happens if a centimeter-sized particle hits a spaceship at orbital velocity?
How much damage would a centimeter sized particle weighing a few grams do when it impacts a spaceship at orbital velocity? Let's say 30 km/s (Earth's rotation speed around the Sun). Such a particle ...
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Why are there so many visible cables on the exterior of the ISS?
Looking at the modules of the ISS every one of them (the Russian ones in particular) seems to be covered by silver and white cables, wires and pipes on the outside. Some of them have been added later ...
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GN&C free / open source softwares suggestions
I am looking for a GN&C software free (and open source if possible) capable to compute the attitude and control including hardware profiles, example: RWs (reaction wheels) profiles
I know 42 does ...
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Why are cone shaped heat shields used for Mars entry?
Heat shields used for Earth reentry are usually curved but heat shields used for Mars’ entry are coned shaped. Why is this?
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Would satellites going into a rendez-vous show a difference in potential leading to an arc between the structures?
I'm researching into satellite rendez-vous. I know (NASA-HDBK-4006A) that in space (more precisely LEO) there is a plasma made up with electrons and atomic ions and a 'plasma potential'. I also learnt ...
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How to access conjunction data message data?
I have a Space-Track account, however, the public CDM's only have an ID and basic information about the two spacecraft, but nothing about their covariances or orbital information. Is there any way to ...
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