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#3612192 - 07/23/12 02:00 PM Re: anyone remember what happened 43yrs ago today? [Re: Rick.50cal]
knightgames Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 09/19/04
Posts: 4503
Loc: MA
Originally Posted By: Rick.50cal
Originally Posted By: knightgames
I've always wondered this and I've never heard any responses regarding it, but, when the return capsule enters the Earth's atmosphere the viewer can see the heat trail behind it. I know there are tiles to prevent the capsule from incinerating, but do the astronauts feel any change in temperature?


my expert WAG (Wild Assed Guess!) is that they would not feel a change in temperature...simply because while the heat shield will get super hot, the exterior of the capsule can't get so wildly hot from the interior, or it would have substantial risk of deformation, then there is the interior atmosphere...which might be extra cool a/c, or even vented for a vacuum, and the astronauts are sitting inside their highly insulated, highly environmentally controlled space suits.

So...the only time an astronaut would feel heat, was during the Apollo 1 test (likely felt it for only one second), the Space Shuttle breakup during re-entry (and they'd have only felt it for a couple of seconds at most), or if their environment pack failed on them. When they do a space walk, the suits protect them from seriously wild temp swings. So my guess is no, a regular re-entry, they'd probably not notice a difference in normal conditions.

But...dumptruck of salt, ask at NASA's website, there might be a FAQ!



Thanks Rick. NASA web site would be the obvious research point. It's never bothered me enough to check, but now you've got my curiosity stoked. Thanks for the WAG. It makes sense to me.



EDIT: Dang, I know I'm not the best speller, but when keyboard battery power declines some words just come out funny. Either that or my fingers need a diet.


Edited by knightgames (07/23/12 02:01 PM)


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#3612493 - 07/23/12 11:02 PM Re: anyone remember what happened 43yrs ago today? [Re: Navigator]
Rick.50cal Offline
Lifer

Registered: 10/25/99
Posts: 20091
Originally Posted By: Navigator
Quote:
So...the only time an astronaut would feel heat, was during the Apollo 1 test (likely felt it for only one second), the Space Shuttle breakup during re-entry (and they'd have only felt it for a couple of seconds at most), or if their environment pack failed on them. When they do a space walk, the suits protect them from seriously wild temp swings. So my guess is no, a regular re-entry, they'd probably not notice a difference in normal conditions.



Not true on space walks, If its a long space walk there hands do get cold when they go to the dark side of the earth.


Ok, makes sense. But in the question posed, it was about feeling re-entry heat.

Clearly the hands would be a weak spot for loss of warmth in ultra cold conditions, as it is on Earth. Minimal insulation, body mass in the fingers.

I dunno, maybe they do feel a bit of re-entry heat?
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#3612716 - 07/24/12 12:04 PM Re: anyone remember what happened 43yrs ago today? [Re: piper]
Navigator Offline
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Registered: 03/15/01
Posts: 7041
Loc: Mn U.S.A.
No they don't feel anything on re-entry. But the apollo 13 crew may have felt a little as there re-entry was over 30 seconds longer then normal. It went from below 40 to like 80 in there. But thats not to bad. {But I can't confirm that.}
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#3612784 - 07/24/12 02:01 PM Re: anyone remember what happened 43yrs ago today? [Re: piper]
TangoRomeo Offline
Junior Member

Registered: 03/19/09
Posts: 78
apollo11 crew pre-flight

apollo11 crew post flight


When watching the post flight piece i can't help but picture Marlon Brando saying:
Quote:
"I watched a snail crawl along the edge of a straight razor. That's my dream. That's my nightmare. Crawling, slithering, along the edge of a straight razor... and surviving."
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