Rocket Theory

[trustysteed]

OK, so I was watching Smallville last nite and in the opening credits there is a shot of Clark hanging onto a rocket as it takes off. And it got me thinking.

Ignoring all factors such as extreme heat from the rockets and extreme cold from the altitude.........

Breathable altitude is normally about 10000ft. If you held (or were strapped) onto the outside of a rocket like the space shuttle as it took off, and took a deep breath just as you reached approx 10000ft, could you hold your breath long enough to last until you burnt to a crisp at the earth's atmosphere, or would you pass out before then from lack of air? How fast can the shuttle travel the distance between 10000ft to the atmosphere?

I'm reckoning that the fit lady who does the deep sea diving and can hold her breath for about 5mins might make it as far as burger king. Me, judging by the struggle I had up a hill yesterday, probably wouldn't!

Any of you reckon you could make it?

 

[Yorkshireman]

Your lungs would explode surely? Next

 

[Arch]

There's something about that question that reminds me of the question asked by a 9 year old shown a recumbent trike/trailer set up. After other kids had asked the usual "How fast does it go?" "how far can it go" etc, this lad put his hand up and asked:

"How bouncy would it be, if you put it on a trampoline?"

That's lateral thinking!

As for the question.. I don't know. I'm not even sure I want to know...

Wouldn't it be an issue that at very low pressure on the edge of the atmosphere, your blood would boil/body explode...?

 

[Tetedelacourse]

I am enjoying the different attempts to identify exactly in what way Trusty would perish during his rocket caper! There must be more!

 

[Cycling Naturalist]

Trusty, never mind all the theories - just don't try it.

 

[barq]

I'm reckoning that the fit lady who does the deep sea diving and can hold her breath for about 5mins might make it as far as burger king. Me, judging by the struggle I had up a hill yesterday, probably wouldn't!

Trustysteed, I think you've just won the "Oddest Question Ever Asked on CycleChat" prize.

Assuming this rocket is heading into space, I think the last thing you want in a vacuum (or near vacuum) is to be holding your breath. I think I'm right in saying you loose consciousness after 10 - 15 seconds in a vacuum but the eyes popping out / head exploding stuff isn't true. So I guess you'd have to take a deep breath as the air was getting a bit thin, but exhale it as the atmospheric pressure dropped off. In reality I'm sure you'd die from shock and get burned up well before the vacuum became a problem.

I'm getting back to work now - this place is too weird for a Monday morning!

 

[trustysteed]

So it's possible if you keep exhaling more air from your lungs the higher you go?

I was amost going to stop building the rocket on Patrick's advice but I've been re-motivated to test this theory out now.

Note to self, muust watch Blue Peter for sticky-back plastic tips on rocket building.

 

[derall]

You will last longer if you don't hold you breath.

If you hold your breath then you're a closed bag of air trying to equalise with the surrounding vacuum. As soon as you reach the vacuum of space you'll go pop as your lungs explode and your guts are spred into orbit.

Don't hold your breath and the air inside your lungs will vent out into space. You'll die of suffocation after a painful minute or two, but at least your corpse will stay in one piece. At least until your orbit decayed an you burnt up on re-entry.

 

[trustysteed]

you guys are talking about space like you're actually going to make it out through the atmosphere!. i assumed you'd die of death before you got into space.

 

[Yorkshireman]

you guys are talking about space like you're actually going to make it out through the atmosphere!.

Guys waddyer mean Guys. Theres only one going (and it's not me)

i assumed you'd die of death before you got into space.

Well, theres a lot of it about (death), but we're sort of hoping that Bonj will come up with a theory that will let (one of) us get away with it ...

 

[Tetedelacourse]

I'd have thought your glorious life would be ended before you get off the ground. In a rocket-related incident.

If you DID survive though, you'd be a legend.

I pack my bags last night, pre-flight,
Zero hour 9am...

 

[Yorkshireman]

I'd have thought your glorious life would be ended before you get off the ground. In a rocket-related incident.

If you DID survive though, you'd be a legend.

I pack my bags last night, pre-flight,
Zero hour 9am...

You missed the rocket mate, it's 5 past 1 now ... Sleep in then?

 

[Tetedelacourse]

...And I'm gonna be hi-haeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeyigh as the flight goes in...

 

[gbyers]

Trusty, whilst an intellectual challenge is always welcome, you know I kinda found your "Girls in Lycra......" thread more, er stimulating.

 

[trustysteed]

Trusty, whilst an intellectual challenge is always welcome, you know I kinda found your "Girls in Lycra......" thread more, er stimulating.

how about a few girls in skin-tight spacesuits pictures to make this more interesting?