User Tom Spilker

104 votes

Accepted

Why do most space probes survive for far longer than they were designed for?

answered Feb 15, 2019 at 2:08

67 votes

Accepted

Why not increase contact surface when reentering the atmosphere?

reentry atmosphere atmospheric-drag heat-shield heat

answered Mar 27, 2019 at 4:27

59 votes

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Could a spacecraft spin so fast that it spontaneously deconstructs?

physics g-force

answered Jul 17, 2018 at 20:43

58 votes

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What skipped test on Genesis would have detected the backwards-inserted accelerometer which didn't deploy the parachute?

nasa sample-return parachute manufacturing mission-anomaly

answered Dec 16, 2020 at 7:00

50 votes

Do you need to burn fuel between gravity assists?

orbital-maneuver interplanetary gravity-assist

answered Sep 6, 2019 at 18:22

50 votes

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Why did Starhopper's exhaust plume become brighter just before landing?

spacex raptor

answered Aug 27, 2019 at 23:30

46 votes

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What is the story behind specific impulse being expressed in seconds?

rockets history terminology specific-impulse

answered Jan 28, 2020 at 4:50

41 votes

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Can a spaceship land on an icy body using retropropulsion? wouldn't the ice melt?

titan europa spacex-starship enceladus vertical-landing

answered May 2, 2018 at 18:47

40 votes

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Could a complex system of reaction wheels be used to propel a spacecraft?

propulsion spacecraft physics

answered Aug 29, 2019 at 18:03

39 votes

Why is using a space elevator cheaper than rocket power?

propulsion space-elevator lift

answered Sep 5, 2018 at 23:15

31 votes

What would happen if a satellite took a direct hit from a coronal mass ejection (CME)?

artificial-satellite the-sun solar-flares

answered Aug 1, 2018 at 23:59

30 votes

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Soyuz Steering during Re-Entry

soyuz-spacecraft aerodynamics guidance

answered Feb 3, 2019 at 7:19

29 votes

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How best to maneuver inside a large room within a space station using only arm and leg motion?

space-station physics

answered Dec 19, 2018 at 7:17

29 votes

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Is this plot of deep space trajectories correct? Did most launch retrograde from Earth? Why do some change direction between planets?

orbital-mechanics trajectory mission-design simulation visualization

answered Oct 21, 2020 at 4:57

29 votes

How much more expensive are scientific instruments for space use?

probe cost lander sensors

answered Jun 4, 2018 at 3:21

28 votes

Will there be back-side photos of Ultima Thule?

2014-mu69

answered Jan 31, 2019 at 18:32

27 votes

Qualitative differences between gravity and a spinning habitat

artificial-gravity rotation reduced-gravity-sports

answered Feb 12, 2019 at 7:38

27 votes

Accepted

If a Voyager crashes into something, would we know?

communication voyager impact

answered Dec 11, 2018 at 17:32

24 votes

Can we expect to find pure iron or only nickel-iron alloys in asteroids?

asteroid meteorites

answered May 18, 2018 at 6:01

24 votes

Accepted

How do I dress for a hike on a hot summer day on Titan?

humans titan

answered Aug 8, 2018 at 8:14

23 votes

Is Nibiru real or totally science fiction?

debris interplanetary

answered Jul 21, 2018 at 22:17

22 votes

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Have Air-breathing Engines ever been used on a reentry vehicle, could they be?

reentry engine-design capsule

answered Aug 21, 2018 at 23:24

21 votes

Why didn't Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 crash on into Jupiter or Uranus when they approached near to these massive planets?

voyager gravity-assist flyby escape-velocity

answered Jan 28, 2019 at 21:18

21 votes

Accepted

What is the delta-v required to get a mass in Earth orbit into the sun using a SINGLE transfer?

orbital-maneuver

answered Sep 6, 2019 at 21:29

20 votes

Dangle a cable down to earth - fundamental Physics question

reentry geostationary

answered Jul 11, 2018 at 21:52

19 votes

Accepted

How can an increase in atmospheric temperature cause an increase in the atmospheric mass density?

atmosphere atmospheric-drag

answered Aug 2, 2018 at 23:57

19 votes

Accepted

What limits the speed at which rocket fuel is expelled?

propulsion interstellar-travel

answered May 10, 2018 at 2:11

19 votes

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Was this a rapid SCHEDULED disassembly? How was it done?

safety saturn-v abort

answered Aug 10, 2019 at 5:28

18 votes

Why is Perseverance's RTG lifetime only 14 years?

perseverance rtg

answered Aug 13, 2020 at 1:54

18 votes

When did planetary scientists realize Venus' surface pressure was almost 100x that on Earth? How did they find out?

atmosphere venus

answered Sep 3, 2018 at 1:44

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151 Answers

Why do most space probes survive for far longer than they were designed for?

Why not increase contact surface when reentering the atmosphere?

Could a spacecraft spin so fast that it spontaneously deconstructs?

What skipped test on Genesis would have detected the backwards-inserted accelerometer which didn't deploy the parachute?

Do you need to burn fuel between gravity assists?

Why did Starhopper's exhaust plume become brighter just before landing?

What is the story behind specific impulse being expressed in seconds?

Can a spaceship land on an icy body using retropropulsion? wouldn't the ice melt?

Could a complex system of reaction wheels be used to propel a spacecraft?

Why is using a space elevator cheaper than rocket power?

What would happen if a satellite took a direct hit from a coronal mass ejection (CME)?

Soyuz Steering during Re-Entry

How best to maneuver inside a large room within a space station using only arm and leg motion?

Is this plot of deep space trajectories correct? Did most launch retrograde from Earth? Why do some change direction between planets?

How much more expensive are scientific instruments for space use?

Will there be back-side photos of Ultima Thule?

Qualitative differences between gravity and a spinning habitat

If a Voyager crashes into something, would we know?

Can we expect to find pure iron or only nickel-iron alloys in asteroids?

How do I dress for a hike on a hot summer day on Titan?

Is Nibiru real or totally science fiction?

Have Air-breathing Engines ever been used on a reentry vehicle, could they be?

Why didn't Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 crash on into Jupiter or Uranus when they approached near to these massive planets?

What is the delta-v required to get a mass in Earth orbit into the sun using a SINGLE transfer?

Dangle a cable down to earth - fundamental Physics question

How can an increase in atmospheric temperature cause an increase in the atmospheric mass density?

What limits the speed at which rocket fuel is expelled?

Was this a rapid SCHEDULED disassembly? How was it done?

Why is Perseverance's RTG lifetime only 14 years?

When did planetary scientists realize Venus' surface pressure was almost 100x that on Earth? How did they find out?