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From: skip@ubvax.UUCP (Skip Addison Jr)
Newsgroups: net.columbia
Subject: Re: Shuttle Attitude
Message-ID: <435@ubvax.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 11-Feb-86 12:09:53 EST
Article-I.D.: ubvax.435
Posted: Tue Feb 11 12:09:53 1986
Date-Received: Thu, 13-Feb-86 20:14:15 EST
References: <2412@sdcc6.UUCP>
Reply-To: skip@ubvax.UUCP (Skip Addison Jr)
Organization: Ungermann-Bass, Inc., Santa Clara, Ca.
Lines: 26

In article <2412@sdcc6.UUCP> ix1037@sdcc6.UUCP (Christopher Latham) writes:
>I believe that the reason that the shuttle ascends in the attitude that
>it does is so that the astronauts will always be in a positive G-force
>situation during ascent. The path of the shuttle is a curve so in
>addition to the force from acceleration there is also G-force from the
>curvature of the path. The absolutely worst way to take G-forces is with
>your head pointing in the direction of the force. So it makes sense to
>have them head down relative to the earth.
>
>Christopher Latham
>U.C.San Diego
>Dept. of Applied Mechanics
>and Engineering Sciences
>..sdcsvax!sdcc6!ix1037

What you've said would be true except that you haven't considered all the
forces.  Gravity is pulling them down.  Whether the shuttle passengers'
heads were pointed 'up' or 'down,' the trajectory of the shuttle could be
made to create positive G-forces.

Can anyone describe the accleration during takeoff, in terms of g's or
length per unit time squared?  I'm sure it's variable, but what are some
values at various stages?  What is the max?

-- Skip Addison
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