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Is the space shuttle a lifting body?
The space shuttle, with a shape like a bulky glider, is actually a lifting body. A lifting body is a specially constructed spacecraft that cannot launch under its own power, but needs additional rocket engines for thrust. The space shuttle is a unique lifting body in that it is a high-tech glider.
What is a lifting body plane?
A lifting body is a fixed-wing aircraft or spacecraft configuration in which the body itself produces lift. In contrast to a flying wing, which is a wing with minimal or no conventional fuselage, a lifting body can be thought of as a fuselage with little or no conventional wing.
What is a wingless flight?
Board your ‘wingless’ flight – this custom-designed Landline bus, which serves as your United flight from FNL to DIA. Future process: Once at DIA, the bus would drive into secure airport space and drop you off at your gate – no need to go through security again or deal with the airport.
Can a wing fly without a body?
A flying wing airplane is a type of aerodynamic airplane without a distinct fuselage. They still have a cockpit, and they usually have a compartment for crew and payloads. These compartments, however, are essentially part of the wings.
How do missiles generate lift?
Aerodynamic forces are generated by the difference in velocity between the rocket and the air. There must be motion between the rocket and the air. The lift of a rocket is a side force used to stabilize and control the direction of flight. Lift occurs when a flow of gas is turned by a solid object.
How does rocket escape gravity?
Gravity pulls things back toward Earth. To reach space, a rocket has to escape Earth’s gravity. To do this, it needs to propel itself upwards with enough speed to escape the downward gravitational pull – this speed is called ‘escape velocity’.
Why do rockets not take off like planes?
Once the rocket reaches orbit, the gravitational pull is high enough to keep it locked in a circular path around Earth, but low enough so that the rocket doesn’t have to spend lots of fuel to keep from falling back to Earth.
What is a lifting body in aviation?
A lifting body is a fixed-wing aircraft or spacecraft configuration in which the body itself produces lift. In contrast to a flying wing, which is a wing with minimal or no conventional fuselage, a lifting body can be thought of as a fuselage with little or no conventional wing.
Why are lifting bodies so difficult?
Lifting bodies pose complex control, structural, and internal configuration issues. Lifting bodies were eventually rejected in favor of a delta wing design for the Space Shuttle.
Aerospace -related lifting body research arose from the idea of spacecraft re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere and landing much like a regular aircraft. Following atmospheric re-entry, the traditional capsule-like spacecraft from the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo series had very little control over where they landed.
What is an example of a lifting body spaceplane?
Examples include the HL-20 Personnel Launch System (1990) and the Prometheus spaceplane (2010). The Dream Chaser lifting-body spaceplane, an extension of HL-20 technology, was under development as of 2012