'For All Mankind' FAQ: How did the space shuttle fly to the moon?

Aug 29, 2020
19
11
515
Visit site
It didn't> The Space Shuttle was designed for "near Earth orbits" of less than 400miles to be used as a cargo carrier to near Earth orbits> Max orbit used was to repair the hubble at 359miles> Max orbit depended on payload> To put things into perspective, LandSAT 1 launched in 1972 was in a 570mile orbit but by time of LandSAT 8 it used a lower 438 mile orbit for higher resolution> Later Shuttles had cut 7,000lb w/a super light fuel tank to 1. carry more payload & 2. reach higher orbits> Can't do both, orbit height is a trade-off w/payload weight
 

Latest posts