Hi!
I have little question which puzzled me when asked: There is this 'unlimited fuel' option in Orbiter and a note that if the real Shuttle is used this option prevents the Shuttle from reaching orbit. I always accepted this explanation (though it does not prevent me trying it for myself), but now I am asking myself why this limit applies exactly.
Assuming that the rocket engines have enough power to lift off, and the maximum power does not decrease in the time after lift off, the shuttle should be able to hover (at a certain height) forever. Check?
If the maximum power was enough for lift-off it should be more than enough after reaching a certain height (say 5 km; even if earth's gravity has not changed significantly at this height), so reaching even higher heights should be no problem. Check?
Of course reaching orbit does not mean to reach a certain height only, but the acceleration to orbital velocity as well, perpendicular to my vertical lift-off. But I don't see why the fuel option changes anything here: The heavy shuttle could go up to 200km (to evade the drag of air), hover there with a little less than maximum power and use the remaining energy to increase its orbital speed. Since there's (almost) no resistance even a tiny engine would be able to pick up the needed speed at some time.
But if I try this I never reach such heights in the first place. I suppose that the Orbiter simulation does it right, and that one (or more) of my above statements has some flaws, but I don't know which one.
Could anyone explain this to me?
Thanks in advance,
Flynx
I have little question which puzzled me when asked: There is this 'unlimited fuel' option in Orbiter and a note that if the real Shuttle is used this option prevents the Shuttle from reaching orbit. I always accepted this explanation (though it does not prevent me trying it for myself), but now I am asking myself why this limit applies exactly.
Assuming that the rocket engines have enough power to lift off, and the maximum power does not decrease in the time after lift off, the shuttle should be able to hover (at a certain height) forever. Check?
If the maximum power was enough for lift-off it should be more than enough after reaching a certain height (say 5 km; even if earth's gravity has not changed significantly at this height), so reaching even higher heights should be no problem. Check?
Of course reaching orbit does not mean to reach a certain height only, but the acceleration to orbital velocity as well, perpendicular to my vertical lift-off. But I don't see why the fuel option changes anything here: The heavy shuttle could go up to 200km (to evade the drag of air), hover there with a little less than maximum power and use the remaining energy to increase its orbital speed. Since there's (almost) no resistance even a tiny engine would be able to pick up the needed speed at some time.
But if I try this I never reach such heights in the first place. I suppose that the Orbiter simulation does it right, and that one (or more) of my above statements has some flaws, but I don't know which one.
Could anyone explain this to me?
Thanks in advance,
Flynx
