Would Icarus' wings fly in Earth's atmosphere and moon gravity?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion explores the feasibility of Icarus' wings generating sufficient lift in Earth's atmosphere and under lunar gravity. Participants consider various aspects of lift generation, wing design, and comparisons to real-world birds, while also referencing the mythological context of Icarus.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Technical explanation, Conceptual clarification, Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants question whether Icarus' wings could generate enough lift for 1/11th or 1/116th the weight of a human, suggesting a need for specific wing design considerations.
  • One participant highlights the melting point of the materials used in the myth, such as bee's wax, as a potential limitation for flight.
  • Another participant draws a comparison to the weight and wingspan of a wandering albatross, suggesting that the dimensions of Icarus' wings might not be unreasonable.
  • A later reply emphasizes the importance of discussing optimized human-powered flight rather than focusing solely on the mythological aspect.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express varying views on the specific weight ratios for lift generation, and there is no consensus on the feasibility of Icarus' wings in practical terms. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the actual lift capabilities and design considerations.

Contextual Notes

Participants note the dependence on specific wing designs and the assumptions about lift generation without reaching definitive conclusions. The discussion also reflects some confusion regarding gravitational ratios.

dedocta
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Could they generate enough lift for 1/11th the weight of a human? Was picturing a giant warehouse and curious if it would work!
 
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dedocta said:
Could they generate enough lift for 1/11th the weight of a human? Was picturing a giant warehouse and curious if it would work!
:oldconfused: Why 1/11th? Lunar gravity is 1/6.

Practically, there's no way to really know. How do you decide how much lift a human could produce without first choosing or designing the wings?
 
We have the legend of Icarus flying in the atmosphere.
The problem then was the melting point of the bee's wax used to attach the feathers.
 
Oh my goodness - 1/6th thanks Dave! Bit of a spaceshot here haha. Thats a good point.
 
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A wandering albatross weighs around 25 lbs and has a 10 ft wingspan so the dimensions would not be unreasonable.
 
dedocta said:
Could they generate enough lift for 1/116th the weight of a human? Was picturing a giant warehouse and curious if it would work!
Since this thread start is in the technical Physics forms and not SciFi, shouldn't you be asking about how much farther optimized human powered flight could fly?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_human-powered_aircraft
 

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