What is the largest (size) solid object ever dropped from an airplane to impact the ground in freefall?What impact did the Concorde have on business of other sub-sonic airliners?What was the first airplane fitted with a hydraulic system?What is the largest aircraft that has been flown inverted successfully?What is the slowest fixed-wing airplane?What is the largest plane ever to have been stolen by a single pilot?What ground-based, airline job in the 1940s could have involved radio communications?What was the first flight instrument ever used in an airplane?What is the largest taildragger in history?Has an airplane ever been launched from a train?Has a small airplane ever been air launched from a heavy-lift helicopter?
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What is the largest (size) solid object ever dropped from an airplane to impact the ground in freefall?
What impact did the Concorde have on business of other sub-sonic airliners?What was the first airplane fitted with a hydraulic system?What is the largest aircraft that has been flown inverted successfully?What is the slowest fixed-wing airplane?What is the largest plane ever to have been stolen by a single pilot?What ground-based, airline job in the 1940s could have involved radio communications?What was the first flight instrument ever used in an airplane?What is the largest taildragger in history?Has an airplane ever been launched from a train?Has a small airplane ever been air launched from a heavy-lift helicopter?
$begingroup$
What is the record for the largest single solid item that has ever been dropped from an airplane at free fall to the ground?
- Here, "free fall" means falling vertically, or nearly vertically
falling allowing some leeway for expected horizontal movement such
as the ground speed of the plane doing the drop, winds, or
unintended Magnus effect among other things, and allows for normal atmospheric air resistance. The object being dropped should be payload, not part of the vehicle
doing the dropping.The object should not be designed with the intent to generate lift.
For example, the above mentioned Magnus effect would disqualify
if a machine was purposely built to spin with the intention of generating lift. This includes things with wings, parachutes, landing thrusters, etc.The object must have hit the ground in an uncontrolled descent in the past. In other words, satellites in free-fall orbit around the Earth do not count unless they fell to the ground and then got re-launched into orbit again (unlikely)
Objects that burn up in the atmosphere do not reach the ground as a single solid object, so they do not count unless any possibly remaining fragment that may reach the ground is still the biggest object to be dropped and reach the ground in its destroyed state (unlikely).
The item does not have to have been intentionally dropped. For example, if it were dropped with a parachute, but the parachute failed to deploy, that counts.
Bombs easily count as long as they don't have a parachute, thrusters, wings or any other design factor that is intended to generate lift.
Last, but not least, "largest" means greatest volume, not heaviest.
aviation-history
asked yesterday
Ryan MortensenRyan Mortensen
3,679842
$endgroup$
|
show 17 more comments
$begingroup$
What is the record for the largest single solid item that has ever been dropped from an airplane at free fall to the ground?
- Here, "free fall" means falling vertically, or nearly vertically
falling allowing some leeway for expected horizontal movement such
as the ground speed of the plane doing the drop, winds, or
unintended Magnus effect among other things, and allows for normal atmospheric air resistance. The object being dropped should be payload, not part of the vehicle
doing the dropping.The object should not be designed with the intent to generate lift.
For example, the above mentioned Magnus effect would disqualify
if a machine was purposely built to spin with the intention of generating lift. This includes things with wings, parachutes, landing thrusters, etc.The object must have hit the ground in an uncontrolled descent in the past. In other words, satellites in free-fall orbit around the Earth do not count unless they fell to the ground and then got re-launched into orbit again (unlikely)
Objects that burn up in the atmosphere do not reach the ground as a single solid object, so they do not count unless any possibly remaining fragment that may reach the ground is still the biggest object to be dropped and reach the ground in its destroyed state (unlikely).
The item does not have to have been intentionally dropped. For example, if it were dropped with a parachute, but the parachute failed to deploy, that counts.
Bombs easily count as long as they don't have a parachute, thrusters, wings or any other design factor that is intended to generate lift.
Last, but not least, "largest" means greatest volume, not heaviest.
aviation-history
asked yesterday
Ryan MortensenRyan Mortensen
3,679842
$endgroup$
4
$begingroup$
Tsar Bomba? 67000 pounds.
$endgroup$
– Mike Brass
yesterday
3
$begingroup$
Does an engine, tail, or other fragment of an airliner count?
$endgroup$
– Pheric
23 hours ago
5
$begingroup$
We need to know the "rules" here. Is some level of aerodynamics allowed (space shuttle)? Does the freefall have to be all the way to ground level (tsar bomba,Felix Baumgartner)? Does the item have to have been intentionally dropped (numerous engines/wings/parts)?
$endgroup$
– Jamiec♦
18 hours ago
6
$begingroup$
There is no object that could possibly free fall from a plane down to ground, because any item heavier than air would be subject to aerodynamic forces.
$endgroup$
– bogl
15 hours ago
5
$begingroup$
It can't compete with bombs and space shuttles, but 15 years ago or so some outfit dropped a 1 ton rubber-band ball to see if it would bounce.
$endgroup$
– TemporalWolf
12 hours ago
|
show 17 more comments
$begingroup$
What is the record for the largest single solid item that has ever been dropped from an airplane at free fall to the ground?
- Here, "free fall" means falling vertically, or nearly vertically
falling allowing some leeway for expected horizontal movement such
as the ground speed of the plane doing the drop, winds, or
unintended Magnus effect among other things, and allows for normal atmospheric air resistance. The object being dropped should be payload, not part of the vehicle
doing the dropping.The object should not be designed with the intent to generate lift.
For example, the above mentioned Magnus effect would disqualify
if a machine was purposely built to spin with the intention of generating lift. This includes things with wings, parachutes, landing thrusters, etc.The object must have hit the ground in an uncontrolled descent in the past. In other words, satellites in free-fall orbit around the Earth do not count unless they fell to the ground and then got re-launched into orbit again (unlikely)
Objects that burn up in the atmosphere do not reach the ground as a single solid object, so they do not count unless any possibly remaining fragment that may reach the ground is still the biggest object to be dropped and reach the ground in its destroyed state (unlikely).
The item does not have to have been intentionally dropped. For example, if it were dropped with a parachute, but the parachute failed to deploy, that counts.
Bombs easily count as long as they don't have a parachute, thrusters, wings or any other design factor that is intended to generate lift.
Last, but not least, "largest" means greatest volume, not heaviest.
aviation-history
asked yesterday
Ryan MortensenRyan Mortensen
3,679842
$endgroup$
What is the record for the largest single solid item that has ever been dropped from an airplane at free fall to the ground?
- Here, "free fall" means falling vertically, or nearly vertically
falling allowing some leeway for expected horizontal movement such
as the ground speed of the plane doing the drop, winds, or
unintended Magnus effect among other things, and allows for normal atmospheric air resistance. The object being dropped should be payload, not part of the vehicle
doing the dropping.The object should not be designed with the intent to generate lift.
For example, the above mentioned Magnus effect would disqualify
if a machine was purposely built to spin with the intention of generating lift. This includes things with wings, parachutes, landing thrusters, etc.The object must have hit the ground in an uncontrolled descent in the past. In other words, satellites in free-fall orbit around the Earth do not count unless they fell to the ground and then got re-launched into orbit again (unlikely)
Objects that burn up in the atmosphere do not reach the ground as a single solid object, so they do not count unless any possibly remaining fragment that may reach the ground is still the biggest object to be dropped and reach the ground in its destroyed state (unlikely).
The item does not have to have been intentionally dropped. For example, if it were dropped with a parachute, but the parachute failed to deploy, that counts.
Bombs easily count as long as they don't have a parachute, thrusters, wings or any other design factor that is intended to generate lift.
Last, but not least, "largest" means greatest volume, not heaviest.
aviation-history
aviation-history
asked yesterday
Ryan MortensenRyan Mortensen
3,679842
asked yesterday
Ryan MortensenRyan Mortensen
3,679842
edited 26 mins ago
Ryan Mortensen
asked yesterday
Ryan MortensenRyan Mortensen
3,679842
asked yesterday
Ryan MortensenRyan Mortensen
3,679842
asked yesterday
Ryan MortensenRyan Mortensen
3,679842
3,679842
4
$begingroup$
Tsar Bomba? 67000 pounds.
$endgroup$
– Mike Brass
yesterday
3
$begingroup$
Does an engine, tail, or other fragment of an airliner count?
$endgroup$
– Pheric
23 hours ago
5
$begingroup$
We need to know the "rules" here. Is some level of aerodynamics allowed (space shuttle)? Does the freefall have to be all the way to ground level (tsar bomba,Felix Baumgartner)? Does the item have to have been intentionally dropped (numerous engines/wings/parts)?
$endgroup$
– Jamiec♦
18 hours ago
6
$begingroup$
There is no object that could possibly free fall from a plane down to ground, because any item heavier than air would be subject to aerodynamic forces.
$endgroup$
– bogl
15 hours ago
5
$begingroup$
It can't compete with bombs and space shuttles, but 15 years ago or so some outfit dropped a 1 ton rubber-band ball to see if it would bounce.
$endgroup$
– TemporalWolf
12 hours ago
|
show 17 more comments
4
$begingroup$
Tsar Bomba? 67000 pounds.
$endgroup$
– Mike Brass
yesterday
3
$begingroup$
Does an engine, tail, or other fragment of an airliner count?
$endgroup$
– Pheric
23 hours ago
5
$begingroup$
We need to know the "rules" here. Is some level of aerodynamics allowed (space shuttle)? Does the freefall have to be all the way to ground level (tsar bomba,Felix Baumgartner)? Does the item have to have been intentionally dropped (numerous engines/wings/parts)?
$endgroup$
– Jamiec♦
18 hours ago
6
$begingroup$
There is no object that could possibly free fall from a plane down to ground, because any item heavier than air would be subject to aerodynamic forces.
$endgroup$
– bogl
15 hours ago
5
$begingroup$
It can't compete with bombs and space shuttles, but 15 years ago or so some outfit dropped a 1 ton rubber-band ball to see if it would bounce.
$endgroup$
– TemporalWolf
12 hours ago
4
4
$begingroup$
Tsar Bomba? 67000 pounds.
$endgroup$
– Mike Brass
yesterday
$begingroup$
Tsar Bomba? 67000 pounds.
$endgroup$
– Mike Brass
yesterday
3
3
$begingroup$
Does an engine, tail, or other fragment of an airliner count?
$endgroup$
– Pheric
23 hours ago
$begingroup$
Does an engine, tail, or other fragment of an airliner count?
$endgroup$
– Pheric
23 hours ago
5
5
$begingroup$
We need to know the "rules" here. Is some level of aerodynamics allowed (space shuttle)? Does the freefall have to be all the way to ground level (tsar bomba,Felix Baumgartner)? Does the item have to have been intentionally dropped (numerous engines/wings/parts)?
$endgroup$
– Jamiec♦
18 hours ago
$begingroup$
We need to know the "rules" here. Is some level of aerodynamics allowed (space shuttle)? Does the freefall have to be all the way to ground level (tsar bomba,Felix Baumgartner)? Does the item have to have been intentionally dropped (numerous engines/wings/parts)?
$endgroup$
– Jamiec♦
18 hours ago
6
6
$begingroup$
There is no object that could possibly free fall from a plane down to ground, because any item heavier than air would be subject to aerodynamic forces.
$endgroup$
– bogl
15 hours ago
$begingroup$
There is no object that could possibly free fall from a plane down to ground, because any item heavier than air would be subject to aerodynamic forces.
$endgroup$
– bogl
15 hours ago
5
5
$begingroup$
It can't compete with bombs and space shuttles, but 15 years ago or so some outfit dropped a 1 ton rubber-band ball to see if it would bounce.
$endgroup$
– TemporalWolf
12 hours ago
$begingroup$
It can't compete with bombs and space shuttles, but 15 years ago or so some outfit dropped a 1 ton rubber-band ball to see if it would bounce.
$endgroup$
– TemporalWolf
12 hours ago
|
show 17 more comments
5 Answers
5
active
oldest
votes
$begingroup$
I can't think of anything dropped from an aircraft larger than the US Space Shuttle when it was dropped from a specially modified 747 during the testing phases of development.
answered 17 hours ago
Juan JimenezJuan Jimenez
5,2131841
$endgroup$
4
$begingroup$
You may precise the space shuttle enterprise's size to help comparison with other dropped payload.
$endgroup$
– Manu H
17 hours ago
2
$begingroup$
@RyanMortensen Which kind of object would free fall in the atmosphere? ;)
$endgroup$
– bogl
17 hours ago
3
$begingroup$
It glided at a high rate (low L/D ratio).The operative phrase, back in the day, was "like a cast iron Frisbee."
$endgroup$
– Zeiss Ikon
17 hours ago
4
$begingroup$
Even bricks glide. They just do so rather poorly. What the space shuttle did after it was dropped is not relevant to the fact that it was dropped. :)
$endgroup$
– Juan Jimenez
17 hours ago
13
$begingroup$
The question was what was the largest object dropped from an airplane. After I posted this answer the OP modified the question to add a meaningless requirement that the object should not be "flying." Everything flies when dropped from a high point to the ground. Some fly well, some fly poorly. But if the OP thinks Stack Exchange is about making questions moving targets, I see no point in continuing to address his "question." That's just silly.
$endgroup$
– Juan Jimenez
16 hours ago
|
show 25 more comments
$begingroup$
If we're counting the Space Shuttle orbiter, then I'd say it's probably that's probably the winner at around 150,000 pounds. As Juan's answer describes, it was dropped from the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft for glide testing before the first shuttle launches. The orbiter 'glides' about as well as the average brick, so this seems like it should count.
Other possible contenders I can think of:
Pegasus XL, an air-launched rocket. It is dropped from an aircraft, after which point its rocket motor ignites to launch a satellite into orbit. Approximately 51,000 pounds.
The Minuteman 1b inter-continental ballistic missile. While normally launched from the ground, a test was conducted on 24 October 1974 in which one was dropped and launched from the cargo bay of a C-5 Galaxy. According to the USAF, the dropped missile stack weighed 86,000 pounds.
The absurdly-large Russian fusion bomb RDS-220, better known in the West as "Tsar Bomba," coming in around 60,000 pounds.
It's also worth noting that all of these may be soon blown out of the water if Stratolaunch Systems gets their way. The Stratolaunch Carrier Aircraft is capable of dropping 550,000 pounds of rocket stack payload. The first test flight of the carrier aircraft has been completed, but it hasn't dropped a payload yet.
answered 13 hours ago
reirabreirab
14.7k142112
$endgroup$
2
$begingroup$
Good answer! I didn't know the Space Shuttle's approach glide ratio is 4.5:1, which is only slightly higher than the model concrete glider featured in MythBusters, at 4:1. And the empty weight of the Space Shuttle is only about 165,000 pounds, so a Stratolaunch mission could easily surpass that by a factor of about three.
$endgroup$
– Juan Jimenez
13 hours ago
add a comment |
$begingroup$
A good candidate here is the US T-12 cloudmaker (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T-12_Cloudmaker) at 43,600 lbs.
answered 17 hours ago
user1937198user1937198
23122
$endgroup$
2
$begingroup$
All bombs dropped from an aircraft glide. They do not fall straight down and hit the spot directly below the point where they were released.
$endgroup$
– Juan Jimenez
15 hours ago
$begingroup$
That a bomb's trajectory, when dropped from a vehicle with a horizontal velocity, is not simply vertical has nothing to do with flying or gliding. It would demonstrate this behavior in a vacuum. It's just Newton's 1st Law in action.
$endgroup$
– Dancrumb
12 hours ago
$begingroup$
@Dancrumb In fact, the effect would be even more pronounced in a vacuum, as there would be no drag to reduce its horizontal velocity in that case. However, dropping it from an airplane could prove quite problematic in a vacuum, as the airplane itself would have no lift (and, unless rocket-powered, no thrust) and would also follow a roughly ballistic trajectory toward the ground.
$endgroup$
– reirab
12 hours ago
1
$begingroup$
@dancrumb This study begs to differ with your conclusions. academia.edu/4005202/…
$endgroup$
– Juan Jimenez
11 hours ago
$begingroup$
@reirab I specifically did not mention an airplane. The initial horizontal velocity of the bomb at the point of release is the primary reason it does not land directly below the point where it is released. Aerodynamical effects will certainly have an effect on the specific spot that it lands, but these are a perturbation on the ballistic trajectory of the bomb due to gravity and the bomb's initial velocity.
$endgroup$
– Dancrumb
10 hours ago
|
show 2 more comments
$begingroup$
If you consider the space shuttle an aircraft its self, the external tank was dropped after it was depleted and broke up on impact to the Indian ocean. The heavy early version weight 58,000 LBS empty and 1.68 Million LBS fully loaded. While not heavier than the shuttle it was volumetrically larger.
answered 13 hours ago
DaveDave
70.2k4133252
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Not dropped from an aircraft, and was part of the vehicle but Saturn V’s first stage was jettisoned at the weight of more than 360000 lbs or 160000 kgs. On Apollo 11 the mass of the first stage was 363425 lbs when jettisoned. After that, it fell freely to the ocean.
Source: http://apollo11nasa.blogspot.com/2012/07/saturn-v-inert-weight-or-dry-weight-or_22.html?m=1
answered 11 mins ago
busdriverbusdriver
96810
$endgroup$
add a comment |
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5 Answers
5
active
oldest
votes
5 Answers
5
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
$begingroup$
I can't think of anything dropped from an aircraft larger than the US Space Shuttle when it was dropped from a specially modified 747 during the testing phases of development.
answered 17 hours ago
Juan JimenezJuan Jimenez
5,2131841
$endgroup$
4
$begingroup$
You may precise the space shuttle enterprise's size to help comparison with other dropped payload.
$endgroup$
– Manu H
17 hours ago
2
$begingroup$
@RyanMortensen Which kind of object would free fall in the atmosphere? ;)
$endgroup$
– bogl
17 hours ago
3
$begingroup$
It glided at a high rate (low L/D ratio).The operative phrase, back in the day, was "like a cast iron Frisbee."
$endgroup$
– Zeiss Ikon
17 hours ago
4
$begingroup$
Even bricks glide. They just do so rather poorly. What the space shuttle did after it was dropped is not relevant to the fact that it was dropped. :)
$endgroup$
– Juan Jimenez
17 hours ago
13
$begingroup$
The question was what was the largest object dropped from an airplane. After I posted this answer the OP modified the question to add a meaningless requirement that the object should not be "flying." Everything flies when dropped from a high point to the ground. Some fly well, some fly poorly. But if the OP thinks Stack Exchange is about making questions moving targets, I see no point in continuing to address his "question." That's just silly.
$endgroup$
– Juan Jimenez
16 hours ago
|
show 25 more comments
$begingroup$
I can't think of anything dropped from an aircraft larger than the US Space Shuttle when it was dropped from a specially modified 747 during the testing phases of development.
answered 17 hours ago
Juan JimenezJuan Jimenez
5,2131841
$endgroup$
4
$begingroup$
You may precise the space shuttle enterprise's size to help comparison with other dropped payload.
$endgroup$
– Manu H
17 hours ago
2
$begingroup$
@RyanMortensen Which kind of object would free fall in the atmosphere? ;)
$endgroup$
– bogl
17 hours ago
3
$begingroup$
It glided at a high rate (low L/D ratio).The operative phrase, back in the day, was "like a cast iron Frisbee."
$endgroup$
– Zeiss Ikon
17 hours ago
4
$begingroup$
Even bricks glide. They just do so rather poorly. What the space shuttle did after it was dropped is not relevant to the fact that it was dropped. :)
$endgroup$
– Juan Jimenez
17 hours ago
13
$begingroup$
The question was what was the largest object dropped from an airplane. After I posted this answer the OP modified the question to add a meaningless requirement that the object should not be "flying." Everything flies when dropped from a high point to the ground. Some fly well, some fly poorly. But if the OP thinks Stack Exchange is about making questions moving targets, I see no point in continuing to address his "question." That's just silly.
$endgroup$
– Juan Jimenez
16 hours ago
|
show 25 more comments
$begingroup$
I can't think of anything dropped from an aircraft larger than the US Space Shuttle when it was dropped from a specially modified 747 during the testing phases of development.
answered 17 hours ago
Juan JimenezJuan Jimenez
5,2131841
$endgroup$
I can't think of anything dropped from an aircraft larger than the US Space Shuttle when it was dropped from a specially modified 747 during the testing phases of development.
answered 17 hours ago
Juan JimenezJuan Jimenez
5,2131841
answered 17 hours ago
Juan JimenezJuan Jimenez
5,2131841
answered 17 hours ago
Juan JimenezJuan Jimenez
5,2131841
answered 17 hours ago
Juan JimenezJuan Jimenez
5,2131841
5,2131841
4
$begingroup$
You may precise the space shuttle enterprise's size to help comparison with other dropped payload.
$endgroup$
– Manu H
17 hours ago
2
$begingroup$
@RyanMortensen Which kind of object would free fall in the atmosphere? ;)
$endgroup$
– bogl
17 hours ago
3
$begingroup$
It glided at a high rate (low L/D ratio).The operative phrase, back in the day, was "like a cast iron Frisbee."
$endgroup$
– Zeiss Ikon
17 hours ago
4
$begingroup$
Even bricks glide. They just do so rather poorly. What the space shuttle did after it was dropped is not relevant to the fact that it was dropped. :)
$endgroup$
– Juan Jimenez
17 hours ago
13
$begingroup$
The question was what was the largest object dropped from an airplane. After I posted this answer the OP modified the question to add a meaningless requirement that the object should not be "flying." Everything flies when dropped from a high point to the ground. Some fly well, some fly poorly. But if the OP thinks Stack Exchange is about making questions moving targets, I see no point in continuing to address his "question." That's just silly.
$endgroup$
– Juan Jimenez
16 hours ago
|
show 25 more comments
4
$begingroup$
You may precise the space shuttle enterprise's size to help comparison with other dropped payload.
$endgroup$
– Manu H
17 hours ago
2
$begingroup$
@RyanMortensen Which kind of object would free fall in the atmosphere? ;)
$endgroup$
– bogl
17 hours ago
3
$begingroup$
It glided at a high rate (low L/D ratio).The operative phrase, back in the day, was "like a cast iron Frisbee."
$endgroup$
– Zeiss Ikon
17 hours ago
4
$begingroup$
Even bricks glide. They just do so rather poorly. What the space shuttle did after it was dropped is not relevant to the fact that it was dropped. :)
$endgroup$
– Juan Jimenez
17 hours ago
13
$begingroup$
The question was what was the largest object dropped from an airplane. After I posted this answer the OP modified the question to add a meaningless requirement that the object should not be "flying." Everything flies when dropped from a high point to the ground. Some fly well, some fly poorly. But if the OP thinks Stack Exchange is about making questions moving targets, I see no point in continuing to address his "question." That's just silly.
$endgroup$
– Juan Jimenez
16 hours ago
4
4
$begingroup$
You may precise the space shuttle enterprise's size to help comparison with other dropped payload.
$endgroup$
– Manu H
17 hours ago
$begingroup$
You may precise the space shuttle enterprise's size to help comparison with other dropped payload.
$endgroup$
– Manu H
17 hours ago
2
2
$begingroup$
@RyanMortensen Which kind of object would free fall in the atmosphere? ;)
$endgroup$
– bogl
17 hours ago
$begingroup$
@RyanMortensen Which kind of object would free fall in the atmosphere? ;)
$endgroup$
– bogl
17 hours ago
3
3
$begingroup$
It glided at a high rate (low L/D ratio). The operative phrase, back in the day, was "like a cast iron Frisbee."$endgroup$
– Zeiss Ikon
17 hours ago
$begingroup$
It glided at a high rate (low L/D ratio). The operative phrase, back in the day, was "like a cast iron Frisbee."$endgroup$
– Zeiss Ikon
17 hours ago
4
4
$begingroup$
Even bricks glide. They just do so rather poorly. What the space shuttle did after it was dropped is not relevant to the fact that it was dropped. :)
$endgroup$
– Juan Jimenez
17 hours ago
$begingroup$
Even bricks glide. They just do so rather poorly. What the space shuttle did after it was dropped is not relevant to the fact that it was dropped. :)
$endgroup$
– Juan Jimenez
17 hours ago
13
13
$begingroup$
The question was what was the largest object dropped from an airplane. After I posted this answer the OP modified the question to add a meaningless requirement that the object should not be "flying." Everything flies when dropped from a high point to the ground. Some fly well, some fly poorly. But if the OP thinks Stack Exchange is about making questions moving targets, I see no point in continuing to address his "question." That's just silly.
$endgroup$
– Juan Jimenez
16 hours ago
$begingroup$
The question was what was the largest object dropped from an airplane. After I posted this answer the OP modified the question to add a meaningless requirement that the object should not be "flying." Everything flies when dropped from a high point to the ground. Some fly well, some fly poorly. But if the OP thinks Stack Exchange is about making questions moving targets, I see no point in continuing to address his "question." That's just silly.
$endgroup$
– Juan Jimenez
16 hours ago
|
show 25 more comments
$begingroup$
If we're counting the Space Shuttle orbiter, then I'd say it's probably that's probably the winner at around 150,000 pounds. As Juan's answer describes, it was dropped from the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft for glide testing before the first shuttle launches. The orbiter 'glides' about as well as the average brick, so this seems like it should count.
Other possible contenders I can think of:
Pegasus XL, an air-launched rocket. It is dropped from an aircraft, after which point its rocket motor ignites to launch a satellite into orbit. Approximately 51,000 pounds.
The Minuteman 1b inter-continental ballistic missile. While normally launched from the ground, a test was conducted on 24 October 1974 in which one was dropped and launched from the cargo bay of a C-5 Galaxy. According to the USAF, the dropped missile stack weighed 86,000 pounds.
The absurdly-large Russian fusion bomb RDS-220, better known in the West as "Tsar Bomba," coming in around 60,000 pounds.
It's also worth noting that all of these may be soon blown out of the water if Stratolaunch Systems gets their way. The Stratolaunch Carrier Aircraft is capable of dropping 550,000 pounds of rocket stack payload. The first test flight of the carrier aircraft has been completed, but it hasn't dropped a payload yet.
answered 13 hours ago
reirabreirab
14.7k142112
$endgroup$
2
$begingroup$
Good answer! I didn't know the Space Shuttle's approach glide ratio is 4.5:1, which is only slightly higher than the model concrete glider featured in MythBusters, at 4:1. And the empty weight of the Space Shuttle is only about 165,000 pounds, so a Stratolaunch mission could easily surpass that by a factor of about three.
$endgroup$
– Juan Jimenez
13 hours ago
add a comment |
$begingroup$
If we're counting the Space Shuttle orbiter, then I'd say it's probably that's probably the winner at around 150,000 pounds. As Juan's answer describes, it was dropped from the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft for glide testing before the first shuttle launches. The orbiter 'glides' about as well as the average brick, so this seems like it should count.
Other possible contenders I can think of:
Pegasus XL, an air-launched rocket. It is dropped from an aircraft, after which point its rocket motor ignites to launch a satellite into orbit. Approximately 51,000 pounds.
The Minuteman 1b inter-continental ballistic missile. While normally launched from the ground, a test was conducted on 24 October 1974 in which one was dropped and launched from the cargo bay of a C-5 Galaxy. According to the USAF, the dropped missile stack weighed 86,000 pounds.
The absurdly-large Russian fusion bomb RDS-220, better known in the West as "Tsar Bomba," coming in around 60,000 pounds.
It's also worth noting that all of these may be soon blown out of the water if Stratolaunch Systems gets their way. The Stratolaunch Carrier Aircraft is capable of dropping 550,000 pounds of rocket stack payload. The first test flight of the carrier aircraft has been completed, but it hasn't dropped a payload yet.
answered 13 hours ago
reirabreirab
14.7k142112
$endgroup$
2
$begingroup$
Good answer! I didn't know the Space Shuttle's approach glide ratio is 4.5:1, which is only slightly higher than the model concrete glider featured in MythBusters, at 4:1. And the empty weight of the Space Shuttle is only about 165,000 pounds, so a Stratolaunch mission could easily surpass that by a factor of about three.
$endgroup$
– Juan Jimenez
13 hours ago
add a comment |
$begingroup$
If we're counting the Space Shuttle orbiter, then I'd say it's probably that's probably the winner at around 150,000 pounds. As Juan's answer describes, it was dropped from the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft for glide testing before the first shuttle launches. The orbiter 'glides' about as well as the average brick, so this seems like it should count.
Other possible contenders I can think of:
Pegasus XL, an air-launched rocket. It is dropped from an aircraft, after which point its rocket motor ignites to launch a satellite into orbit. Approximately 51,000 pounds.
The Minuteman 1b inter-continental ballistic missile. While normally launched from the ground, a test was conducted on 24 October 1974 in which one was dropped and launched from the cargo bay of a C-5 Galaxy. According to the USAF, the dropped missile stack weighed 86,000 pounds.
The absurdly-large Russian fusion bomb RDS-220, better known in the West as "Tsar Bomba," coming in around 60,000 pounds.
It's also worth noting that all of these may be soon blown out of the water if Stratolaunch Systems gets their way. The Stratolaunch Carrier Aircraft is capable of dropping 550,000 pounds of rocket stack payload. The first test flight of the carrier aircraft has been completed, but it hasn't dropped a payload yet.
answered 13 hours ago
reirabreirab
14.7k142112
$endgroup$
If we're counting the Space Shuttle orbiter, then I'd say it's probably that's probably the winner at around 150,000 pounds. As Juan's answer describes, it was dropped from the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft for glide testing before the first shuttle launches. The orbiter 'glides' about as well as the average brick, so this seems like it should count.
Other possible contenders I can think of:
Pegasus XL, an air-launched rocket. It is dropped from an aircraft, after which point its rocket motor ignites to launch a satellite into orbit. Approximately 51,000 pounds.
The Minuteman 1b inter-continental ballistic missile. While normally launched from the ground, a test was conducted on 24 October 1974 in which one was dropped and launched from the cargo bay of a C-5 Galaxy. According to the USAF, the dropped missile stack weighed 86,000 pounds.
The absurdly-large Russian fusion bomb RDS-220, better known in the West as "Tsar Bomba," coming in around 60,000 pounds.
It's also worth noting that all of these may be soon blown out of the water if Stratolaunch Systems gets their way. The Stratolaunch Carrier Aircraft is capable of dropping 550,000 pounds of rocket stack payload. The first test flight of the carrier aircraft has been completed, but it hasn't dropped a payload yet.
answered 13 hours ago
reirabreirab
14.7k142112
edited 12 hours ago
answered 13 hours ago
reirabreirab
14.7k142112
answered 13 hours ago
reirabreirab
14.7k142112
answered 13 hours ago
reirabreirab
14.7k142112
14.7k142112
2
$begingroup$
Good answer! I didn't know the Space Shuttle's approach glide ratio is 4.5:1, which is only slightly higher than the model concrete glider featured in MythBusters, at 4:1. And the empty weight of the Space Shuttle is only about 165,000 pounds, so a Stratolaunch mission could easily surpass that by a factor of about three.
$endgroup$
– Juan Jimenez
13 hours ago
add a comment |
2
$begingroup$
Good answer! I didn't know the Space Shuttle's approach glide ratio is 4.5:1, which is only slightly higher than the model concrete glider featured in MythBusters, at 4:1. And the empty weight of the Space Shuttle is only about 165,000 pounds, so a Stratolaunch mission could easily surpass that by a factor of about three.
$endgroup$
– Juan Jimenez
13 hours ago
2
2
$begingroup$
Good answer! I didn't know the Space Shuttle's approach glide ratio is 4.5:1, which is only slightly higher than the model concrete glider featured in MythBusters, at 4:1. And the empty weight of the Space Shuttle is only about 165,000 pounds, so a Stratolaunch mission could easily surpass that by a factor of about three.
$endgroup$
– Juan Jimenez
13 hours ago
$begingroup$
Good answer! I didn't know the Space Shuttle's approach glide ratio is 4.5:1, which is only slightly higher than the model concrete glider featured in MythBusters, at 4:1. And the empty weight of the Space Shuttle is only about 165,000 pounds, so a Stratolaunch mission could easily surpass that by a factor of about three.
$endgroup$
– Juan Jimenez
13 hours ago
add a comment |
$begingroup$
A good candidate here is the US T-12 cloudmaker (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T-12_Cloudmaker) at 43,600 lbs.
answered 17 hours ago
user1937198user1937198
23122
$endgroup$
2
$begingroup$
All bombs dropped from an aircraft glide. They do not fall straight down and hit the spot directly below the point where they were released.
$endgroup$
– Juan Jimenez
15 hours ago
$begingroup$
That a bomb's trajectory, when dropped from a vehicle with a horizontal velocity, is not simply vertical has nothing to do with flying or gliding. It would demonstrate this behavior in a vacuum. It's just Newton's 1st Law in action.
$endgroup$
– Dancrumb
12 hours ago
$begingroup$
@Dancrumb In fact, the effect would be even more pronounced in a vacuum, as there would be no drag to reduce its horizontal velocity in that case. However, dropping it from an airplane could prove quite problematic in a vacuum, as the airplane itself would have no lift (and, unless rocket-powered, no thrust) and would also follow a roughly ballistic trajectory toward the ground.
$endgroup$
– reirab
12 hours ago
1
$begingroup$
@dancrumb This study begs to differ with your conclusions. academia.edu/4005202/…
$endgroup$
– Juan Jimenez
11 hours ago
$begingroup$
@reirab I specifically did not mention an airplane. The initial horizontal velocity of the bomb at the point of release is the primary reason it does not land directly below the point where it is released. Aerodynamical effects will certainly have an effect on the specific spot that it lands, but these are a perturbation on the ballistic trajectory of the bomb due to gravity and the bomb's initial velocity.
$endgroup$
– Dancrumb
10 hours ago
|
show 2 more comments
$begingroup$
A good candidate here is the US T-12 cloudmaker (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T-12_Cloudmaker) at 43,600 lbs.
answered 17 hours ago
user1937198user1937198
23122
$endgroup$
2
$begingroup$
All bombs dropped from an aircraft glide. They do not fall straight down and hit the spot directly below the point where they were released.
$endgroup$
– Juan Jimenez
15 hours ago
$begingroup$
That a bomb's trajectory, when dropped from a vehicle with a horizontal velocity, is not simply vertical has nothing to do with flying or gliding. It would demonstrate this behavior in a vacuum. It's just Newton's 1st Law in action.
$endgroup$
– Dancrumb
12 hours ago
$begingroup$
@Dancrumb In fact, the effect would be even more pronounced in a vacuum, as there would be no drag to reduce its horizontal velocity in that case. However, dropping it from an airplane could prove quite problematic in a vacuum, as the airplane itself would have no lift (and, unless rocket-powered, no thrust) and would also follow a roughly ballistic trajectory toward the ground.
$endgroup$
– reirab
12 hours ago
1
$begingroup$
@dancrumb This study begs to differ with your conclusions. academia.edu/4005202/…
$endgroup$
– Juan Jimenez
11 hours ago
$begingroup$
@reirab I specifically did not mention an airplane. The initial horizontal velocity of the bomb at the point of release is the primary reason it does not land directly below the point where it is released. Aerodynamical effects will certainly have an effect on the specific spot that it lands, but these are a perturbation on the ballistic trajectory of the bomb due to gravity and the bomb's initial velocity.
$endgroup$
– Dancrumb
10 hours ago
|
show 2 more comments
$begingroup$
A good candidate here is the US T-12 cloudmaker (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T-12_Cloudmaker) at 43,600 lbs.
answered 17 hours ago
user1937198user1937198
23122
$endgroup$
A good candidate here is the US T-12 cloudmaker (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T-12_Cloudmaker) at 43,600 lbs.
answered 17 hours ago
user1937198user1937198
23122
answered 17 hours ago
user1937198user1937198
23122
answered 17 hours ago
user1937198user1937198
23122
answered 17 hours ago
user1937198user1937198
23122
23122
2
$begingroup$
All bombs dropped from an aircraft glide. They do not fall straight down and hit the spot directly below the point where they were released.
$endgroup$
– Juan Jimenez
15 hours ago
$begingroup$
That a bomb's trajectory, when dropped from a vehicle with a horizontal velocity, is not simply vertical has nothing to do with flying or gliding. It would demonstrate this behavior in a vacuum. It's just Newton's 1st Law in action.
$endgroup$
– Dancrumb
12 hours ago
$begingroup$
@Dancrumb In fact, the effect would be even more pronounced in a vacuum, as there would be no drag to reduce its horizontal velocity in that case. However, dropping it from an airplane could prove quite problematic in a vacuum, as the airplane itself would have no lift (and, unless rocket-powered, no thrust) and would also follow a roughly ballistic trajectory toward the ground.
$endgroup$
– reirab
12 hours ago
1
$begingroup$
@dancrumb This study begs to differ with your conclusions. academia.edu/4005202/…
$endgroup$
– Juan Jimenez
11 hours ago
$begingroup$
@reirab I specifically did not mention an airplane. The initial horizontal velocity of the bomb at the point of release is the primary reason it does not land directly below the point where it is released. Aerodynamical effects will certainly have an effect on the specific spot that it lands, but these are a perturbation on the ballistic trajectory of the bomb due to gravity and the bomb's initial velocity.
$endgroup$
– Dancrumb
10 hours ago
|
show 2 more comments
2
$begingroup$
All bombs dropped from an aircraft glide. They do not fall straight down and hit the spot directly below the point where they were released.
$endgroup$
– Juan Jimenez
15 hours ago
$begingroup$
That a bomb's trajectory, when dropped from a vehicle with a horizontal velocity, is not simply vertical has nothing to do with flying or gliding. It would demonstrate this behavior in a vacuum. It's just Newton's 1st Law in action.
$endgroup$
– Dancrumb
12 hours ago
$begingroup$
@Dancrumb In fact, the effect would be even more pronounced in a vacuum, as there would be no drag to reduce its horizontal velocity in that case. However, dropping it from an airplane could prove quite problematic in a vacuum, as the airplane itself would have no lift (and, unless rocket-powered, no thrust) and would also follow a roughly ballistic trajectory toward the ground.
$endgroup$
– reirab
12 hours ago
1
$begingroup$
@dancrumb This study begs to differ with your conclusions. academia.edu/4005202/…
$endgroup$
– Juan Jimenez
11 hours ago
$begingroup$
@reirab I specifically did not mention an airplane. The initial horizontal velocity of the bomb at the point of release is the primary reason it does not land directly below the point where it is released. Aerodynamical effects will certainly have an effect on the specific spot that it lands, but these are a perturbation on the ballistic trajectory of the bomb due to gravity and the bomb's initial velocity.
$endgroup$
– Dancrumb
10 hours ago
2
2
$begingroup$
All bombs dropped from an aircraft glide. They do not fall straight down and hit the spot directly below the point where they were released.
$endgroup$
– Juan Jimenez
15 hours ago
$begingroup$
All bombs dropped from an aircraft glide. They do not fall straight down and hit the spot directly below the point where they were released.
$endgroup$
– Juan Jimenez
15 hours ago
$begingroup$
That a bomb's trajectory, when dropped from a vehicle with a horizontal velocity, is not simply vertical has nothing to do with flying or gliding. It would demonstrate this behavior in a vacuum. It's just Newton's 1st Law in action.
$endgroup$
– Dancrumb
12 hours ago
$begingroup$
That a bomb's trajectory, when dropped from a vehicle with a horizontal velocity, is not simply vertical has nothing to do with flying or gliding. It would demonstrate this behavior in a vacuum. It's just Newton's 1st Law in action.
$endgroup$
– Dancrumb
12 hours ago
$begingroup$
@Dancrumb In fact, the effect would be even more pronounced in a vacuum, as there would be no drag to reduce its horizontal velocity in that case. However, dropping it from an airplane could prove quite problematic in a vacuum, as the airplane itself would have no lift (and, unless rocket-powered, no thrust) and would also follow a roughly ballistic trajectory toward the ground.
$endgroup$
– reirab
12 hours ago
$begingroup$
@Dancrumb In fact, the effect would be even more pronounced in a vacuum, as there would be no drag to reduce its horizontal velocity in that case. However, dropping it from an airplane could prove quite problematic in a vacuum, as the airplane itself would have no lift (and, unless rocket-powered, no thrust) and would also follow a roughly ballistic trajectory toward the ground.
$endgroup$
– reirab
12 hours ago
1
1
$begingroup$
@dancrumb This study begs to differ with your conclusions. academia.edu/4005202/…
$endgroup$
– Juan Jimenez
11 hours ago
$begingroup$
@dancrumb This study begs to differ with your conclusions. academia.edu/4005202/…
$endgroup$
– Juan Jimenez
11 hours ago
$begingroup$
@reirab I specifically did not mention an airplane. The initial horizontal velocity of the bomb at the point of release is the primary reason it does not land directly below the point where it is released. Aerodynamical effects will certainly have an effect on the specific spot that it lands, but these are a perturbation on the ballistic trajectory of the bomb due to gravity and the bomb's initial velocity.
$endgroup$
– Dancrumb
10 hours ago
$begingroup$
@reirab I specifically did not mention an airplane. The initial horizontal velocity of the bomb at the point of release is the primary reason it does not land directly below the point where it is released. Aerodynamical effects will certainly have an effect on the specific spot that it lands, but these are a perturbation on the ballistic trajectory of the bomb due to gravity and the bomb's initial velocity.
$endgroup$
– Dancrumb
10 hours ago
|
show 2 more comments
$begingroup$
If you consider the space shuttle an aircraft its self, the external tank was dropped after it was depleted and broke up on impact to the Indian ocean. The heavy early version weight 58,000 LBS empty and 1.68 Million LBS fully loaded. While not heavier than the shuttle it was volumetrically larger.
answered 13 hours ago
DaveDave
70.2k4133252
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
If you consider the space shuttle an aircraft its self, the external tank was dropped after it was depleted and broke up on impact to the Indian ocean. The heavy early version weight 58,000 LBS empty and 1.68 Million LBS fully loaded. While not heavier than the shuttle it was volumetrically larger.
answered 13 hours ago
DaveDave
70.2k4133252
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
If you consider the space shuttle an aircraft its self, the external tank was dropped after it was depleted and broke up on impact to the Indian ocean. The heavy early version weight 58,000 LBS empty and 1.68 Million LBS fully loaded. While not heavier than the shuttle it was volumetrically larger.
answered 13 hours ago
DaveDave
70.2k4133252
$endgroup$
If you consider the space shuttle an aircraft its self, the external tank was dropped after it was depleted and broke up on impact to the Indian ocean. The heavy early version weight 58,000 LBS empty and 1.68 Million LBS fully loaded. While not heavier than the shuttle it was volumetrically larger.
answered 13 hours ago
DaveDave
70.2k4133252
answered 13 hours ago
DaveDave
70.2k4133252
answered 13 hours ago
DaveDave
70.2k4133252
answered 13 hours ago
DaveDave
70.2k4133252
70.2k4133252
add a comment |
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Not dropped from an aircraft, and was part of the vehicle but Saturn V’s first stage was jettisoned at the weight of more than 360000 lbs or 160000 kgs. On Apollo 11 the mass of the first stage was 363425 lbs when jettisoned. After that, it fell freely to the ocean.
Source: http://apollo11nasa.blogspot.com/2012/07/saturn-v-inert-weight-or-dry-weight-or_22.html?m=1
answered 11 mins ago
busdriverbusdriver
96810
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Not dropped from an aircraft, and was part of the vehicle but Saturn V’s first stage was jettisoned at the weight of more than 360000 lbs or 160000 kgs. On Apollo 11 the mass of the first stage was 363425 lbs when jettisoned. After that, it fell freely to the ocean.
Source: http://apollo11nasa.blogspot.com/2012/07/saturn-v-inert-weight-or-dry-weight-or_22.html?m=1
answered 11 mins ago
busdriverbusdriver
96810
$endgroup$
add a comment |
$begingroup$
Not dropped from an aircraft, and was part of the vehicle but Saturn V’s first stage was jettisoned at the weight of more than 360000 lbs or 160000 kgs. On Apollo 11 the mass of the first stage was 363425 lbs when jettisoned. After that, it fell freely to the ocean.
Source: http://apollo11nasa.blogspot.com/2012/07/saturn-v-inert-weight-or-dry-weight-or_22.html?m=1
answered 11 mins ago
busdriverbusdriver
96810
$endgroup$
Not dropped from an aircraft, and was part of the vehicle but Saturn V’s first stage was jettisoned at the weight of more than 360000 lbs or 160000 kgs. On Apollo 11 the mass of the first stage was 363425 lbs when jettisoned. After that, it fell freely to the ocean.
Source: http://apollo11nasa.blogspot.com/2012/07/saturn-v-inert-weight-or-dry-weight-or_22.html?m=1
answered 11 mins ago
busdriverbusdriver
96810
answered 11 mins ago
busdriverbusdriver
96810
answered 11 mins ago
busdriverbusdriver
96810
answered 11 mins ago
busdriverbusdriver
96810
96810
add a comment |
add a comment |
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4
$begingroup$
Tsar Bomba? 67000 pounds.
$endgroup$
– Mike Brass
yesterday
3
$begingroup$
Does an engine, tail, or other fragment of an airliner count?
$endgroup$
– Pheric
23 hours ago
5
$begingroup$
We need to know the "rules" here. Is some level of aerodynamics allowed (space shuttle)? Does the freefall have to be all the way to ground level (tsar bomba,Felix Baumgartner)? Does the item have to have been intentionally dropped (numerous engines/wings/parts)?
$endgroup$
– Jamiec♦
18 hours ago
6
$begingroup$
There is no object that could possibly free fall from a plane down to ground, because any item heavier than air would be subject to aerodynamic forces.
$endgroup$
– bogl
15 hours ago
5
$begingroup$
It can't compete with bombs and space shuttles, but 15 years ago or so some outfit dropped a 1 ton rubber-band ball to see if it would bounce.
$endgroup$
– TemporalWolf
12 hours ago