C
cacho
Guest
I read that most space shuttle missions occur in low orbit... low enough that if the space shuttle lost all power, and couldn't occasionally correct it's orbit, that it would eventually fall back to earth and burn up, after 8 hours or so.<br /><br />Let's say that something catastrophic happens, and a space shuttle blowsup/breaks apart while in orbit. An astronaut who was doing a space walk is pushed away by the blast towards earth. He is now abandoned in space.<br /><br />1. would the astronaut eventually fall back to earth and burn up? if so how long would that take?<br /><br />2. are there suicide pills (as seen in movies) or some other method for the astronoaut to kill himself knowing he'll either die from oxygen running out or burning up?<br /><br />3. would it be possible for the astronaut to catch a satellite, then have ground controllers maneuver the satellite to rendevous with the INT'l Space Station? <br /><br />4. what does an explosion in space look like? If the space shuttle some how exploded in space, would you see a fire ball? If so, does the fireball expand quickly as the air that fuels it expands into space?