Josh suggested I calculate the miles per gallon efficiency of the ISS over the the period of the stats posted below. After having to actually do some math, which I so rarely do as an engineer (seriously), I converted the prop use to gallons based on the average of the density between the hypergolic prop used by the RS. For non-spacecraft engineers this means there are two fluids used in the combustion chamber which ignite on contact. So assuming the prop use was 50/50 prop and oxidizer which is probably close that is a density of 11.225 lb/gal. For the 1312 orbits at our altitude, we cover approxiamently 26,058.3 miles per orbit. So, drumroll please, the average fuel efficiancy of the ISS is...
107,850 miles per gallon!!
Take that all you Prius drivers.
Note: This is an updated number at 1:45pm. I realized there was a units problem in the last number posted. People should label if things are meters or KM on our plots.
13 years ago
5 comments:
Hahahaaa. That's awesome, go ISS!
Very nice!!
hahaha, that's great! I'm going to send that number out it my Space Geek Distro updated.
um, shouldn't you include the fuel used to get the ISS up to its current speed? all that hardware didn't get to 17,000+ mph for free... :-) now the orbitway mileage...
The Orbiter has its own fuel efficiency. The ISS is a solar powered hybrid that only exists on-orbit. The ISS expended no fuel to reach orbit.
Post a Comment