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Why would a capsule designed for Mars-return reentry with propulsive landing not survive sub-orbital reentry?
by manicdee 10y ago
Why would a capsule designed for Mars-return reentry with propulsive landing not survive sub-orbital reentry?
- sandworm101 10y agoIf you are moving very fast horizontally you slow in the upper atmosphere and your trajectory, in part, follows the curve of the earth. The net result is that you slow down through hundreds of kilometers of progressively thicker air. On the other hand, if you have no horizontal velocity you are falling like a rock into a much shorter slice of air. It gets much thicker very quickly. Either the capsule cannot survive the force of the thicker air, or it doesn't have enough time to slow down before hitting the ground. Horizontal re-entry also allows the capsule to 'fly' by trading horizontal velocity for lift, keeping it in the upper atmosphere for longer. That isn't an option when falling strait down.