Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!uwm.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!ub!ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu!v055mvw3 From: v055mvw3@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (Gregory J Schaffer) Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle Subject: Re: Why is the orbiter launched upside down? Message-ID: <36102@eerie.acsu.Buffalo.EDU> Date: 14 Sep 90 11:45:23 GMT References: <1103.26EC49AE@ofa123.fidonet.org> Sender: news@acsu.Buffalo.EDU Reply-To: v055mvw3@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu Organization: University at Buffalo Lines: 32 Nntp-Posting-Host: ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.3-4.2 In article <1103.26EC49AE@ofa123.fidonet.org>, rick@ofa123.fidonet.org (Rick Ellis) writes... >On Alan Phillips writes: > > AP> Why does the stack roll after lift off to bring the orbiter upside > AP> down? > >It lowers the dynamic stress on the vehical assembly. > > > >-- >Rick Ellis >Internet: rick@ofa123.fidonet.org >-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Just curious...where on the vehicle is this stress lowered, and why? The orbiter's wings produce lift while en route to orbit...being upside down *ADDS* this force to the direction of gravity, creating what I would think would be *MORE* stress on the orbiter. Am I missing something? Maybe it is, if you'll pardon the expression, the "natural tendency" of the orbiter to "hang" on the rest of the assembly. If I'm missing something obvious, forgive me...I just woke up :). --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gregory J. Schaffer schaffer@acsu.buffalo.cc University at Buffalo V055MVW3@UBVMS "Seven years of college, down the OPNSGREG@UBVM drain!" "sleeping on Lockwood 5!" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------