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Author
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Topic: Mach 25 patch spinoffs (MAXA 25, Mach 26)
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Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 26044
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 04-01-2011 09:19 PM
   
The Mach 25 patch is awarded to those who fly on the space shuttle, in reference to the highest velocity they achieve during reentry. Perhaps the best known of the Mach 25 spinoffs is the 100 Days in space patch, which substitutes the space shuttle on the original insignia with the International Space Station. Now there are at least two others: Mach 26
Credit: NASA/Kim ShiflettAs pictured on the flight suits of astronauts Drew Feustel and Scott Altman, the Mach 26 patch was created for the STS-125 crew. The incremental increase in Mach number is due to the nature of their mission; to service the Hubble Space Telescope, Atlantis' crew flew to an altitude between 300 and 360 miles, about 100 miles above the International Space Station. As such, their reentry velocity on the way back to Earth was greater. 
Credit: Tazewell County Museum/Ed EmmonsMAXA 25 
Credit: collectSPACE/Ben CooperMike Fincke is the first to sport this patch, which replaces the space shuttle on the original with a Russian Soyuz and substitutes "MAXA" for "Mach." Fincke, who will earn his Mach 25 patch on Endeavour's STS-134 mission, has twice flown to the International Space Station on Soyuz spacecraft. Credit to Tim (KSCArtist) and Andrew (Skylon), who also noticed these spinoffs. |
Skylon
Member Posts: 137
From:
Registered: Sep 2010
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posted 04-02-2011 10:46 AM
At the risk of spinning this off into a discussion on re-entry velocities, I have a couple questions/comments. - Was "Mach 26" only achieved by the STS-125 crew, or all crews who worked on Hubble (STS-31 for launching it, and subsequent servicing missions)? I know STS-31 was one of, if not THE highest shuttle mission launched.
- I'm now trying to imagine how the "Mach 25" patch would look with a Mercury, Gemini or Apollo. I imagine that at least the later on lunar missions, broke Mach 25 on entry.
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benguttery
Member Posts: 537
From: Fort Worth, TX, USA
Registered: Feb 2005
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posted 04-03-2011 09:33 PM
Did anyone see The Right Stuff? There is no shortage of kidding and one-upsmanship with these fellows. I wouldn't want to get into a Mach measuring contest... |
Hart Sastrowardoyo
Member Posts: 1908
From: Toms River, NJ,USA
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 04-04-2011 05:35 AM
I was on standby for a zero-G flight; had I flown, I was thinking of getting a "Mach .25" patch made, with a parabolic arc and a 727 substituted for the shuttle. |
Tom
Member Posts: 1229
From: New York
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted 09-30-2012 02:32 PM
Was wondering, if anyone had seen the Soyuz version of the Mach 25 patch? |
cycleroadie
Member Posts: 207
From: Apalachin, NY USA
Registered: May 2011
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posted 10-01-2012 06:52 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Skylon:
I imagine that at least the later on lunar missions, broke Mach 25 on entry.
Lunar missions reentry speeds are approximately Mach 32. |
p51
Member Posts: 573
From: Olympia, WA, USA
Registered: Sep 2011
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posted 01-17-2013 11:19 PM
Okay, I know it's not exactly NASA but here's my entry into the field, for the next time I attend Space Camp which will be my second time:
 |
Gonzo
Member Posts: 258
From: Lansing, MI, USA
Registered: Mar 2012
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posted 01-18-2013 01:31 PM
At the risk of being smacked, there's a small tidbit that seems to be being overlooked here, from the research I've done on the Mach 25 patch/badge.Yes the Mercury and Gemini capsules did reenter at much faster speeds than the shuttle (up to mach 32/33 as mentioned earlier). However, this patch/badge is not for pure speed. Rather it is for speed during controlled flight. If that were the case, many prior astronauts would qualify for it as well. But that is not the case. You have to remember that the Mercury/Gemini capsules (and Apollo too for that matter) had very little control over their flight paths. They did not by any means qualify for controlled flight as the crew did not "fly" them. The shuttles had much more control. So this patch is more of a qualification badge for controlled flight, not pure speed. And hence, the reason that (so far) only shuttle crews have qualified to wear it. Correct me if I'm wrong, but that is what I found when researching this patch/badge some time back. |
johntosullivan
Member Posts: 112
From: Cork, Cork, Ireland
Registered: Oct 2005
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posted 01-18-2013 02:42 PM
Does that mean that only shuttle pilots qualify and not mission specialists? |
onesmallstep
Member Posts: 404
From: Staten Island, New York USA
Registered: Nov 2007
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posted 01-18-2013 04:06 PM
No, Mission Specialists qualify and wear the Mach 25 patch too as they ride the same shuttle and experience controlled flight as the pilots do. |
p51
Member Posts: 573
From: Olympia, WA, USA
Registered: Sep 2011
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posted 01-18-2013 04:22 PM
I know you're right about this, but it seems kind of silly, as a MS is far less in control of the descent as most capsule riders ever were...I'd be willing to bet there's a real gulf between shuttle and capsule astronauts when they get together and it's just them. |
johntosullivan
Member Posts: 112
From: Cork, Cork, Ireland
Registered: Oct 2005
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posted 01-21-2013 08:06 AM
And with space tourism (hopefully) on the rise, we will have to start differentiating between crew and passngers. Its a difficult one to pindown in shuttle terms as there were professional MS but also some "passengers". Political, civilian, payload specialists, guys enroute to ISS and Mir who had no role in the operation of the shuttle. |
Hart Sastrowardoyo
Member Posts: 1908
From: Toms River, NJ,USA
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 01-21-2013 08:39 AM
quote:
Originally posted by p51:
Okay, I know it's not exactly NASA but here's my entry into the field, for the next time I attend Space Camp which will be my second time
Heh! AHOF should come up with a similar one, but with the letters 'ATX,' for Astronaut Training Experience and 'simulated' on the swoosh. Would love to see one of those. |
Tom
Member Posts: 1229
From: New York
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted 01-21-2013 10:46 AM
Doesn't STS-82 hold the space shuttle altitude record? |
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