• Captain Aggravated
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    110 days ago

    Aerodynamic lift has a lot to do with angle of attack. Source: I am a flight instructor.

      • Captain Aggravated
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        110 days ago

        The amount of lift made has a lot to do with the angle of attack, the angle between the relative wind and the mean chord of the wing. While the space shuttle is in gliding flight, it flew with a very nose high attitude in a reasonably steep descent, thus the angle of attack. Under rocket power on ascent, the relative wind would be coming pretty much nose on, so a very low angle of attack, thus very little lift.

        If the angle of attack goes negative, the wing will lift in the other direction, which is how planes can fly upside down.

        • @technowizard22@lemmy.world
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          110 days ago

          Yes but it would still generate lift - a force witch would not be aligned with the center of mass and while not massive would be enough to pitch over the rocket and destroy it. There is a reason the x37 flies in a payload faring.