The Vomit Comet In zero-gravity astronaut training and equipment testing, NASA flies a KC135A aircraft along a

The €œVomit Comet€ In zero-gravity astronaut training and equipment testing, NASA flies a KC135A aircraft along a parabolic flight path. As shown in Figure P4.47, the aircraft climbs from 24 000 ft to 31 000 ft, where it enters the zero-g parabola with a velocity of 143 m/s nose-high at 45.0o and exits with velocity 143 m/s at 45.0° nose-low. During this portion of the flight the aircraft and objects inside its padded cabin are in free fall€”they have gone ballistic. The aircraft then pulls out of the dive with an upward acceleration of 0.800g, moving in a vertical circle with radius 4.13 km.
(During this portion of the flight, occupants of the plane perceive an acceleration of 1.8g.) What are the aircraft?
(a) Speed and
(b) Altitude at the top of the maneuver?
(c) What is the time spent in zero gravity?
(d) What is the speed of the aircraft at the bottom of the flight path?

Transcribed Image Text:

45° nose high 45° nose low 24 000 1.8 g Zero-g 65 Maneuver time, s Figure P4.47