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From: Mike Horvath
Subject: Aerodynamics question
Date: 18 Feb 2015 21:53:46
Message: <54e5503a$1@news.povray.org>
I'm building a bubble around my spaceship to protect from "drag" at 
interstellar velocities. This site says that for subsonic craft a 
parabola is a better shape for the nose. However, an ogive is better at 
supersonic speeds.

http://www.aerospaceweb.org/question/aerodynamics/q0151.shtml

Which applies in outer space? Or, should I not use either and use a 
teardrop shape instead?

And, is the piriform shape a good one to use? See here:

http://csi.chemie.tu-darmstadt.de/ak/immel/script/redirect.cgi?filename=http://csi.chemie.tu-darmstadt.de/ak/immel/graphics/povray35/teardrop.html


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From: Le Forgeron
Subject: Re: Aerodynamics question
Date: 19 Feb 2015 00:27:17
Message: <54e57435$1@news.povray.org>
Le 19/02/2015 03:53, Mike Horvath a écrit :
> I'm building a bubble around my spaceship to protect from "drag" at
> interstellar velocities. This site says that for subsonic craft a
> parabola is a better shape for the nose. However, an ogive is better at
> supersonic speeds.
> 
> http://www.aerospaceweb.org/question/aerodynamics/q0151.shtml
> 
> Which applies in outer space? Or, should I not use either and use a
> teardrop shape instead?

Imho, the shape is proportionally relevant to the pressure and its
differential (between front and rear). if the spaceship never has to
experience an atmosphere, the shape is irrelevant, only the
cross-section might give a resistance to the solar-wind: it can be a
brick or a sphere, the difference would be in the generated torque, and
hopefully the engine(s) have far enough power to make that influence
negligible.

The density of hydrogen atom in outer space is variable, but the
pressure is in the nano-pascal ( 10^-9 ) range, and we live in
kilohecto-pascal ( 10^5 ), so the influence of the drag is to be
corrected by at least something like a 10^-14 factor.

The far more concerning problem is the difference of temperature between
sunlighted and non-sunlighted surfaces. Ask a comet about it.


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From: Doctor John
Subject: Re: Aerodynamics question
Date: 19 Feb 2015 00:48:29
Message: <54e5792d@news.povray.org>
On 19/02/15 02:53, Mike Horvath wrote:
> I'm building a bubble around my spaceship to protect from "drag" at
> interstellar velocities. This site says that for subsonic craft a
> parabola is a better shape for the nose. However, an ogive is better at
> supersonic speeds.
> 
> http://www.aerospaceweb.org/question/aerodynamics/q0151.shtml
> 
> Which applies in outer space? Or, should I not use either and use a
> teardrop shape instead?
> 
> And, is the piriform shape a good one to use? See here:
> 
>
http://csi.chemie.tu-darmstadt.de/ak/immel/script/redirect.cgi?filename=http://csi.chemie.tu-darmstadt.de/ak/immel/graphics/povray35/teardrop.html
> 

My immediate reaction is none of the above ;-)

We are not talking aerodynamics here - take a look at the ISS [pretty
picture here
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/03/nasa-iss-03-10-2011.jpg].
It is not travelling in interstellar space but neither is it travelling
in (what we define as) an atmosphere.

I would suggest that you concentrate on protecting your craft from
particles travelling with a relative kinetic energy large enough to
cause significant damage.

John
-- 
Protect the Earth
It was not given to you by your parents
You hold it in trust for your children


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From: scott
Subject: Re: Aerodynamics question
Date: 19 Feb 2015 03:23:18
Message: <54e59d76$1@news.povray.org>
> The density of hydrogen atom in outer space is variable, but the
> pressure is in the nano-pascal ( 10^-9 ) range, and we live in
> kilohecto-pascal ( 10^5 ), so the influence of the drag is to be
> corrected by at least something like a 10^-14 factor.

Drag depends on velocity squared, so that would mean if your velocity 
was 10^7 times higher than on earth, you would experience a similar 
level of drag.

I have no idea what "interstellar velocities are" though, 10^7 or more? :-)


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From: scott
Subject: Re: Aerodynamics question
Date: 19 Feb 2015 03:25:42
Message: <54e59e06$1@news.povray.org>
> I'm building a bubble around my spaceship to protect from "drag" at
> interstellar velocities. This site says that for subsonic craft a
> parabola is a better shape for the nose. However, an ogive is better at
> supersonic speeds.
>
> http://www.aerospaceweb.org/question/aerodynamics/q0151.shtml
>
> Which applies in outer space? Or, should I not use either and use a
> teardrop shape instead?

What is the speed of sound in space... I don't think any "supersonic" 
designs are necessary.


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From: Thomas de Groot
Subject: Re: Aerodynamics question
Date: 19 Feb 2015 03:37:22
Message: <54e5a0c2$1@news.povray.org>
On 19-2-2015 6:48, Doctor John wrote:
>
> We are not talking aerodynamics here - take a look at the ISS [pretty
> picture here
> http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/03/nasa-iss-03-10-2011.jpg].
> It is not travelling in interstellar space but neither is it travelling
> in (what we define as) an atmosphere.

And consider Voyager 1 & 2. They are (almost). Their speed is far 
superior to ISS's and yet have no protection of any kind.

in addition to John's comment, remember that what we are shown in SF 
films are constructions that have very little to do with the necessities 
of interstellar space. They need to appeal to (and be recognised by) the 
average public which is used to airplanes in daily life ;-)

-- 
Thomas


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From: Ger
Subject: Re: Aerodynamics question
Date: 19 Feb 2015 03:38:07
Message: <54e5a0ef$1@news.povray.org>
scott wrote:

> 
> I have no idea what "interstellar velocities are" though, 10^7 or more?
> :-)

The speed of light times a whole lot if you wanna get anywhere in a 
reasonable amount of time
-- 

Ger


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From: scott
Subject: Re: Aerodynamics question
Date: 19 Feb 2015 05:19:44
Message: <54e5b8c0$1@news.povray.org>
>> I have no idea what "interstellar velocities are" though, 10^7 or more?
>> :-)
>
> The speed of light times a whole lot if you wanna get anywhere in a
> reasonable amount of time

So we should be talking about superluminal designs, not supersonic. Now 
let me go and dig out my text book on superluminal design to see what it 
says...


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From: Thomas de Groot
Subject: Re: Aerodynamics question
Date: 19 Feb 2015 07:15:31
Message: <54e5d3e3$1@news.povray.org>
On 19-2-2015 11:19, scott wrote:
>>> I have no idea what "interstellar velocities are" though, 10^7 or more?
>>> :-)
>>
>> The speed of light times a whole lot if you wanna get anywhere in a
>> reasonable amount of time
>
> So we should be talking about superluminal designs, not supersonic. Now
> let me go and dig out my text book on superluminal design to see what it
> says...
>
According to the Lensmen textbooks of the Galactic Patrol, a teardrop 
design is favourite with the habitants of Tellus, while Velantians may 
use different shapes; needle shapes for instance. It should be noted 
that Boskone had a preference for teardrop shapes until their final 
demise. Possibly, those textbooks are obsolete by now ;-)

-- 
Thomas


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From: Alain
Subject: Re: Aerodynamics question
Date: 22 Feb 2015 14:28:24
Message: <54ea2dd8$1@news.povray.org>
Le 15-02-19 03:22, scott a écrit :
>> The density of hydrogen atom in outer space is variable, but the
>> pressure is in the nano-pascal ( 10^-9 ) range, and we live in
>> kilohecto-pascal ( 10^5 ), so the influence of the drag is to be
>> corrected by at least something like a 10^-14 factor.
>
> Drag depends on velocity squared, so that would mean if your velocity
> was 10^7 times higher than on earth, you would experience a similar
> level of drag.
>
> I have no idea what "interstellar velocities are" though, 10^7 or more? :-)
>

The 10^-9 range is for our spacial neigourhood, or relatively close to a 
star. As you travel farther, it drops conciderably. Between the Sun and 
Proxima Centaury, the vacuum around the moon looks like high pressure.

In space, to have a drag equivalent to 100 Km/h on a road, using the 
10^14 factor for Earth region, you would need to travel at over 100 000 
000 000 000 Km/h (10^16 Km/h). That's  /way/ faster than the speed of 
light ! (about 10^9 Km/h)



Alain


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