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The most significant difference between this prototype and existing ICBM technology is that the reentry vehicle has more lift and less drag. It's counterintuit
by jasonwatkinspdx 15y ago
The most significant difference between this prototype and existing ICBM technology is that the reentry vehicle has more lift and less drag.
It's counterintuitive, but re-entry vehicles are typically bluntly shaped because it reduces the heat load on the nose cone by pushing the bow shock further out in front of the craft. The downside of this is higher drag and less lift, so ICBM warheads fall more than they glide.
- blackguardx 15y agoI think this is why they are called "ballistic missiles." They fall to earth as if they were an artillery round.
- dredmorbius 15y agoThat and the fact that most of the flight is in an unpowered, "ballistic" mode, rather than powered for the full duration.
- jasonwatkinspdx 15y agoTrue, but there are things we could call ballistic that are low drag (they also are likely low lift). A typical pointy artillery shell being a great example.