Early test flights for the space shuttle used a glider

In summary, the space shuttle's horizontal velocity remained the same when it came in at a constant glide angle. However, its velocity when it falls through 4 km was=-22100.
  • #1
kritzy
12
0

Homework Statement


Early test flights for the space shuttle used a "glider" (mass of 940 kg including pilot). After a horizontal launch at 470 km/h at a height of 4000 m, the glider eventually landed at a speed of 210 km/h . What would its landing speed have been in the absence of air resistance(in km/h)? What was the average force of air resistance exerted on it if it came in at a constant glide angle of 15 degrees to the Earth's surface?

Homework Equations


Ki + Ui = Kf + Uf
.5mv[tex]^{2}[/tex]+mgh=.5mv[tex]^{2}[/tex]

The Attempt at a Solution


I'm not so sure about the second question but here's what I did for the first one.
I changed the units so that the answer would be in km/h.
g=35.28 km/h
h=4 km
v[tex]^{2}[/tex]=[2(.5mv[tex]^{2}[/tex]+mgh)]/m
v[tex]^{2}[/tex]=[2(.5(940)(470)[tex]^{2}[/tex]+(940)(35.28)(4)]=221182.24
v=470km/h
Unfortunately, this answer is incorrect. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
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  • #2


g is acceleration? The units could be kilometers per hour squared, rather than kilometers per hour.
 
  • #3


In the absence of air resistance, the horizontal velocity will remain as it is.
Find its velocity when if falls through 4 km. The resultant of this velocity and the horizontal velocity will give the landing velocity.
 
  • #4


Thanks. I got the first part. As for the second question, I'm not quite sure how to go about it. I think I'm suppose to use F=ma. So I caculated the acceleration.
a=(v[tex]^{2}[/tex]-v[tex]^{2}_{0}[/tex])/(2x)
a=(210[tex]^{2}[/tex]-470[tex]^{2}[/tex])/((2)(4))=-22100

F=ma=(940)(-22100)=-2077400

But that only gets me the force of the gilder and doesn't include friction. I was also thinking that I should get the sum of forces.So
F[tex]_{gilder}[/tex]-F[tex]_{friction}[/tex]=ma
I don't think that's quite right either. There suppose to be a 15 degree angle but I don't know where it goes. Can somebody help me?
 

What is a glider?

A glider is an aircraft that is designed to fly without an engine. It relies on air currents and the pilot's skill to stay aloft.

Why were gliders used for early test flights of the space shuttle?

Glider flights were used for early tests of the space shuttle because it allowed for safe and controlled flight testing without the added complexity and risk of using an engine.

How did the glider test flights contribute to the development of the space shuttle?

The glider test flights provided crucial data and insights about the aerodynamics and handling of the space shuttle, which helped engineers improve and refine the design before adding an engine.

Did the glider test flights have any limitations?

Yes, glider test flights had limitations in terms of altitude and distance covered, as they relied solely on air currents to stay aloft. This meant that they could not fully simulate the conditions of actual space flight.

Were there any notable achievements during the glider test flights for the space shuttle?

Yes, the glider test flights for the space shuttle were able to achieve several milestones, including the first successful landing of an unpowered spacecraft on a runway, and the first successful landing of a manned spacecraft on a runway.

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