![]() ![]() By approaching the atmosphere at an angle, this process takes a longer time, and the craft can be safely slowed. That energy heats up the atmosphere immediately around the craft, encasing the craft in a superheated plasma for part of its descent, until much of the forward motion of the craft has been lost. ![]() So what does this atmospheric resistance do? It slows down the spacecraft, by absorbing some of the spacecraft’s energy. This computer-generated art depicts Orion's heat shield protecting the crew module as it enters the. Crew-carrying spacecraft will never plunge straight down into the atmosphere, but encounter it at a shallow angle, which allows the craft to encounter the atmosphere’s resistance less abruptly. ![]() Objects which encounter our atmosphere from space are generally travelling much faster than any winds we’d encounter during a storm here on Earth (thank goodness), and so the air resistance they hit is significant the atmosphere, if hit directly, is almost as solid a barrier as encountering rock. ![]() If you’ve ever been out in high winds, you’ve felt the kind of barrier wind can produce to your own motion, and how much force it takes to move in resistance to it. Air resistance is a major factor in designing everything from cars to parachutes to space shuttles. The atmosphere, as easily as we move through it on the surface of the Earth, can pose a significant barrier to fast-moving objects. It’s true that re-entering the atmosphere from space is a delicate business, and there are only a few safe paths to do so. So there are two questions mixed up in here - the first is about traversing the atmosphere without burning up, and the second about traversing the Van Allen belts. ![]()
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