Note: Only forum leaders may delete posts.
*HTML is ON *UBB Code is ON Smilies Legend
Smilies Legend
[i]... and at sunrise at the end of the 13th revolution, the pilot will emerge from the spacecraft ...[/i]
[i]The spacecraft's course is measured in revolutions around the Earth. A revolution is completed each time the spacecraft passes over 80 degrees west longitude, or at Gemini altitudes about once every 96 minutes. Orbits are space referenced and in Gemini take about 90 minutes. The longer time for revolutions is caused by the Earth's rotation. As the spacecraft circles the Earth, the Earth moves about 22.5 degrees in the same direction. Although the spacecraft completes an orbit in about 90 minutes, it takes another six minutes for the spacecraft to reach 80 degrees west longitude and complete a revolution. Gemini completes 16 orbits per day, but in 24 hours crosses the 80th meridian of longitude 15 times -- hence 15 revolutions per day.[/i]
Contact Us | The Source for Space History & Artifacts
Copyright 1999-2024 collectSPACE. All rights reserved.