Can it take off or fly in the space shuttle?

[turnkey4099]

One small flap of a birds wings which is sufficient to lift it into the air on earth would in fact cause it to accelerate rapidly and collide briskly with the first object in it's path. It would ricochet from that, still try to fly, and soon be zipping around the cabin like a feathered missle, eventually dying from the accumulated injuries.

I would be surprized if there have not been some experiments done with birds in the shuttle. There is a lot of competition for experimental work to be done in the conditions unique to the shuttle, much of it biological. I would google it, but right now I'm too lazy to do it.

I vaguely recall that an experiment was done but on the 'vomit rocket'. IIRC the bird flew just fine.

Harry K

 

[tallyho8]

I don't have access to cable tv so don't have a chance to watch "MythBusters". So, what answer did they come up with?

They proved that the weight does NOT change. They also tried it with a small helicopter both parked and flying inside and the weight was the same. They said the force of the air pushing down equaled the weight of the flying object keeping the weight equal.

 

[daTeacha]

Pretty much the same as two cups on a scale, one with water and one with an ice cube. Weigh them, then put the ice in the water. Weight will be the same whether the ice is floating in the water or in the otherwise empty cup.

On the other hand, since air is the mother of all fluids, any downward force resulting from the bird in flight would tend to spread out if the trailer was made of chicken wire or similar material, and hence might not add to the weight. Carried to an extreme example, when a C-130 flies directly overhead you don't feel any extra weight pushing down on you, do you? It's spread out over a large area. So how could the weight of the bird be directed only straight down?

 

[tallyho8]

The trailer was completely sealed.

 

[daTeacha]

Ah Hah!

 

[3RRL]

I wonder what would happen if they took a Nile Crocodile into the space shuttle?
That would be interesting. Could they fly in it?

 

[tallyho8]

I wonder what would happen if they took a Nile Crocodile into the space shuttle?
That would be interesting. Could they fly in it?

It could probably propel itself through the air with it's tail, just like it does in the water. I'm not sure how many astronauts you could get to volunteer for that mission though!

 

[TrippleT]

I didn't realize there were so many avian gastroenterologists on this forum. LOL

 

[daTeacha]

I think it's more a result of the fact that birds are so specialized for light weight to enable flight that anyone with a bit of biology in their background remembers some of the idiosyncracies of the critters, like the hollow bones.

 

[Nuru]

[SIZE=-1]Birds, are bipedal, warm-blooded, oviparous vertebrates characterized primarily by feathers
[/SIZE]
Have not found any records of birds being taken into space.