Model S accelerates faster than space shuttle

Sorry, according to this NASA website, https://www.nasa.gov/pdf/466711main_AP_ST_ShuttleAscent.pdf, the shuttle accelerates at nearly 3g at times. (One g is 9.8 m/s**2 and the Tesla maximum acceleration is about 1.1 g)

Maybe it's a roll-out issue with the measurements...

Except the shuttle does that while fighting the full force of gravity, all while lugging around ~ 4.4 million pounds.

Point the car vertically, and assuming you can create a rig to keep it in contact with pavement, the car would only do 0.1 g acceleration. Or, point the shuttle horizontally, if you prefer. My money's on the shuttle. :wink:

How much hp does the shuttle have? Is it running pre-release firmware? Does the shuttle have the pano windshield option? Anyone with a vbox can confirm?

too many questions, not enough info. Let's not jump to conclusions. Someone tweet Elon?

Oh stop raining on the man's parade:wink: It takes the shuttle longer to get to 60mph and in that narrow sense the OP is correct.

eyespii said:

How much hp does the shuttle have? Is it running pre-release firmware? Does the shuttle have the pano windshield option? Anyone with a vbox can confirm?

too many questions, not enough info. Let's not jump to conclusions. Someone tweet Elon?

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With rockets and jet engines HP is kind of a meaningless term. You measure pounds (or Newtons) of thrust instead. The main engines produce about 500,000 pounds of thrust each and the total thrust is 1.2 million pounds according to NASA. The acceleration is low at first because it is lifting a heck of a lot of fuel, as the fuel gets burned off (very quickly), the thrust to weight ratio increases dramatically, which increases acceleration.

I believe the 85D and 90D are rated at 4.1s 0-60.

eyespii said:

How much hp does the shuttle have?

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37 million horsepower (the main engines with solid rocket boosters)

https://www.nasa.gov/returntoflight/system/system_SSME.html

brianman said:

Maybe it's a roll-out issue with the measurements...

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Patrick W said:

Referring to the shuttle taking 4.2 seconds for 0-60 MPH vs P85D doing it in 3.1.

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I know brianman was kidding, but I guarantee you NASA is --NOT-- using roll out figures. So in the interest of allowing people to make a fair comparison, in case anyone is shopping for the two vehicles, the correct numbers would be:

Space Shuttle: 4.2 seconds, 0-60, no roll out
P85D: 3.4 seconds, 0-60, no roll out

The P85D still wins, but not by as much.

I'm guessing the Space Shuttle takes the quarter-mile. As far as passing speed goes, the Space Shuttle makes the P85D look like it's standing still.

Andyw2100 said:

I know brianman was kidding, but I guarantee you NASA is --NOT-- using roll out figures. So in the interest of allowing people to make a fair comparison, in case anyone is shopping for the two vehicles, the correct numbers would be:

Space Shuttle: 4.2 seconds, 0-60, no roll out
P85D: 3.4 seconds, 0-60, no roll out

The P85D still wins, but not by as much.

I'm guessing the Space Shuttle takes the quarter-mile. As far as passing speed goes, the Space Shuttle makes the P85D look like it's standing still.

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In case anyone is shopping for the two vehicles, the correct numbers would be:

Space Shuttle: 4.2 seconds, 0-60, $450 million - using NASA's lowball number.
P85D: 3.4 seconds, 0-60, $110,700 - an unloaded P85D.

The P85D wins, by a whole lot.

:biggrin:

Grendal said:

In case anyone is shopping for the two vehicles, the correct numbers would be:

Space Shuttle: 4.2 seconds, 0-60, $450 million - using NASA's lowball number.
P85D: 3.4 seconds, 0-60, $110,700 - an unloaded P85D.

The P85D wins, by a whole lot.

:biggrin:

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That's an unfair comparison ;-). You're using the "per-launch" number for the shuttle, but the capital cost for the Tesla. Each Tesla "launch" costs a few cents for electricity and a bit more for tires. Add depreciation, and I can launch in the Tesla for much less money than a carnival ride at the state fair.

Well there are always the four sets of SuperDraco rocket engines that SpaceX is going to use for the Dragon capsule. 0 to 100 miles (160 kilometers) per hour in about 1.2 seconds. The acceleration is designed to propel the Dragon capsule clear of the Falcon 9 if an abort is needed.
http://www.spaceflightinsider.com/organizations/space-exploration-technologies/spacex-making-progress-on-crewed-dragon-and-falcon-heavy/

I'm sensing something funny here from NASA. Perhaps a lawsuit is in order over the public being deceived by the reported horsepower numbers.

Man, that thing is so slow off the line.
Sh!t gets real at about 120mph. That is some top end power...

Also, watch the whole thing, with the volume up. It gets freaky... And beautiful.

- - - Updated - - -

OT: the receiving end (how those boosters get recovered): Shuttles Boosters Recovered in HD - YouTube

ICE and EPE (External propulsion engine) are dead! The future is pure EV with limited applications for fuel cells!
:wink:

EV is tough to use as a launch vehicle though... :wink:

Caligula said:

Except the shuttle does that while fighting the full force of gravity, all while lugging around ~ 4.4 million pounds.

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physicsfita said:

Point the car vertically, and assuming you can create a rig to keep it in contact with pavement, the car would only do 0.1 g acceleration. Or, point the shuttle horizontally, if you prefer. My money's on the shuttle. :wink:

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"It's totally legitimate to make up terms like 'land horsepower' and 'air horsepower' and then just use the simplified 'horsepower' when comparing the two vehicles because if people confuse them it's because they didn't do their research properly and should only blame themselves."

Too soon?

brianman said:

"It's totally legitimate to make up terms like 'land horsepower' and 'air horsepower' and then just use the simplified 'horsepower' when comparing the two vehicles because if people confuse them it's because they didn't do their research properly and should only blame themselves."

Too soon?

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I'd just really REALLY appreciate if one thread's angst didn't start showing up in other threads.