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Platapus · 04-12-10, 06:45 PM

I always wondered if Vostok 1 really completed one full orbit.

Launch was at 45 degrees 55 minutes North 063 Degrees 20 Minutes East
Landing was at 51 degrees 16 minutes North 045 degrees 58 minutes East

Since his flight was east-west, let's ignore the latitude for a moment.

Which means he landed about 18 degrees West of his launching point about 540 NM short of his launching site. So in traveling East (as his flight did) he completed not a 360 degree transit, but only a 342 degree transit as measured on the ground.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Vostok_1_orbit.png

Now in actuality, since the earth was rotating to the east in the same direction as his flight, he traveled more than 360 degrees. In fact he traveled 372 degrees or 1.2 orbits.

However, under the FIA's requirements, only suborbital flights use rotating earth models.

That and the fact that Gargarn's ejected from the spacecraft would have invalidated the record.

http://www.fai.org/sporting_code/sc8.asp

But, in any case, it was a pretty brave mission

04-12-10, 06:45 PM	#11
Platapus Fleet Admiral Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 19,442 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 0	I always wondered if Vostok 1 really completed one full orbit. Launch was at 45 degrees 55 minutes North 063 Degrees 20 Minutes East Landing was at 51 degrees 16 minutes North 045 degrees 58 minutes East Since his flight was east-west, let's ignore the latitude for a moment. Which means he landed about 18 degrees West of his launching point about 540 NM short of his launching site. So in traveling East (as his flight did) he completed not a 360 degree transit, but only a 342 degree transit as measured on the ground. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Vostok_1_orbit.png Now in actuality, since the earth was rotating to the east in the same direction as his flight, he traveled more than 360 degrees. In fact he traveled 372 degrees or 1.2 orbits. However, under the FIA's requirements, only suborbital flights use rotating earth models. That and the fact that Gargarn's ejected from the spacecraft would have invalidated the record. http://www.fai.org/sporting_code/sc8.asp But, in any case, it was a pretty brave mission __________________ abusus non tollit usum - A right should NOT be withheld from people on the basis that some tend to abuse that right.