PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - What would happen to a Helicopter if it was in space?
Old 11th Jun 2009, 16:48
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moosp

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Well maybe if you fed the engine a stoichometric mix of O2 and fuel, and the main and tail rotors went round, I guess it would just spin at a rate proportional to the mass of the rotor versus the centre of mass behind the mast. ie damn fast.

And yet, and yet, as a way of re-entry, a ceramic rotor in autorotation to absorb the energy with a bit of gas thrust at the tail to compensate might just make an elegant arrival.

With a transition to the White House lawn, it would be very impressive...
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