Most Popular
1500 questions
46
votes
4 answers
Why was Venus rather than Mars targeted for the first interplanetary landings?
This is a question about early planetary missions. It looks like there was only one early (unsuccessful) landing mission to Mars and that subsequently Venus became the target for interplanetary landings. Here's my question:
Why was Venus…
user2705196
- 1,308
- 1
- 11
- 22
46
votes
3 answers
Why did the Space Shuttle fly upside-down normally
After reading this answer I found out that the space shuttle normally spent its time upside-down. Why is that? I'd guess it has to do with shielding from the sun, but I can't back that up with anything.
David says Reinstate Monica
- 2,166
- 1
- 16
- 29
46
votes
2 answers
How did the Apollo astronauts change film in their cameras?
Part of Apollo astronaut training was learning to be a pretty good photographer without a viewfinder. The Hasselblad 500EL Data Camera used magazines with 160 color/200 B&W exposures on 70mm film.
Once the magazine was expended, were the astronauts…
Jacob Krall
- 1,368
- 10
- 21
45
votes
7 answers
Why do artificial satellites need orbit correction, but natural ones don't?
No matter how much you fine-tune a satellite's orbit up front, it needs periodic adjustments. It's usually done through tiny rocket bursts. The system and fuel to do that costs money and weight, and, when it runs out of fuel, the satellite's life is…
Emilio M Bumachar
- 821
- 1
- 6
- 10
45
votes
3 answers
How realistic is Kerbal Space Program?
Kerbal Space Program is an independent spaceflight simulation game, which has become quickly popular due to being (kind of) precise at simulating actual spaceflights.
But how precisely? How close is Kerbal Space Program to reality in the aspect of…
Zoltán Schmidt
- 5,223
- 7
- 34
- 69
45
votes
2 answers
Without the accident, would Apollo 13 still have been the farthest crewed mission from the Earth?
This answer notes that the Apollo 13 crew holds the record for the distance that humans have traveled beyond Earth.
Had the mission exactly followed the flight plan, would they still have been the farthest crewed mission from Earth? (This includes…
DrSheldon
- 47,946
- 12
- 162
- 329
45
votes
1 answer
When did Jack Swigert realize that he forgot to file his taxes?
As portrayed in the film Apollo 13, astronaut Jack Swigert forgot to file his taxes:
JACK SWIGERT: Well uh, if anyone from the IRS is watching, I forgot to
file my 1040 return and I meant to do it today but...
SY LIEBERGOT (EECOM - WHITE): That's…
DrSheldon
- 47,946
- 12
- 162
- 329
45
votes
10 answers
Have spacecraft photographed each other beyond Earth orbit?
There are several answers to Could a spy satellite image another satellite? and one answer with several examples to How many spacecraft have taken a “Pale Blue Dot” type photo of the Earth from beyond cis-lunar space?
And there are many photos of…
uhoh
- 148,791
- 53
- 476
- 1,473
45
votes
1 answer
Was the payload bay of the Space Shuttle depressurized before launch?
We know that the payload bay of the Space Shuttle Orbiter carried satellites, pieces of equipment for repairing satellites and components of the International Space Station.
Was the payload bay of the Space Shuttle depressurized before launch, or…
Vishnu
- 3,276
- 16
- 50
45
votes
3 answers
What is GPS' 19 year rollover and does it present a cybersecurity issue?
The NPR new item and audio podcast The Global Positioning System Resets talks about a 19 year cycling of something in the GPS system, but it's not clear what it is.
Every 19 years, the Global Positioning System resets a measure of time built into…
uhoh
- 148,791
- 53
- 476
- 1,473
45
votes
3 answers
Has any human ever had the choice to leave Earth permanently?
Far beneath the ship / The world is mourning
They don't realize / He's alive
No one understands
But Major Tom sees / "Now the light commands
This is my home / I'm coming home."
Peter Schiling, Major Tom
I found myself waxing poetic after…
Cort Ammon
- 2,191
- 1
- 13
- 17
45
votes
4 answers
How hard would it be to fly a Space Shuttle again?
Since in the wake of the failure of Soyuz MS-10, "humanity is effectively trapped on Earth" (this of course ignores Chinese launchers), one might try to fly one of the remaining Space Shuttle orbiters again. How hard would it be to get them into…
Martin Schröder
- 935
- 2
- 8
- 27
45
votes
1 answer
What would happen if a mutiny occurred on the International Space Station?
Historically, mutiny has often occurred in close-quarter situations. While the International Space Station (ISS) is not a military operation, the term mutiny is often used to refer any sort of rebellion against the prevailing authorities.
While the…
called2voyage
- 23,710
- 10
- 97
- 147
45
votes
1 answer
Does the ISS have a watch system with at least one person monitoring at all times
Does the ISS keep a standing watch with one person always up and awake and monitoring while the others sleep, or do all the astronauts sleep and work and they all get alerted in case of issues beyond the normal scheduled stuff?
Ian Blair
- 563
- 4
- 7
45
votes
10 answers
Why isn't a centrifuge used for astronauts on the space station?
One thing I've always wondered is why don't astronauts sleep in a kind of rotating bed that spins creating force? This would allow them to sleep and would be able to simulate earths gravity. Why don't they do this considering the impacts zero g has…
Callum K
- 635
- 1
- 5
- 9