– could the space shuttle just fly into space like a plane, rather than being propelled vertically by rockets?

Question

– could the space shuttle just fly into space like a plane, rather than being propelled vertically by rockets?

In: 48

Answer 1

Absolutely not. Despite the appearance the space shuttle does not function like a plane that has wings. The large wing like structure is actually a brake providing drag over a larger surface area. The space shuttle isn’t really capable of atmospheric flight, it’s just moving so ridiculously fast it covers huge distances while falling back to earth. Think of the space shuttle like a parachute, a one way trip back down, but this is far too heavy for the atmosphere to push back up.