Edge of space?

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by AXDA2600 » 01 Jun 2005, 15:14

I have always wonder what is it like in the F-16 at 50,000 ft max ceiling? Is it possible to see the sky turn dark blue?

Crews of the SR-71 Blackbird claim that at 88,000 ft the sky is pitch black and they can see the bluish curves of the Earth's horizon...

It must be breathtaking...


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by VPRGUY » 01 Jun 2005, 18:32

Well, here is a pic out the window of a U-2 way up there...(probably just a *hair* over 50K though)
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olesen_02.jpg
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by falconfixer860261 » 01 Jun 2005, 18:52

I've been on airline flights at 48 and haven't seen the curve - it's not high enough.


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by trailmix » 01 Jun 2005, 19:32

that picture is MARVELOUS! My god what I would give to be the highest bird in the sky :)
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by Polaris » 01 Jun 2005, 20:24

It truly is beautiful.


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by Roscoe » 02 Jun 2005, 03:31

I've been to 50K+ in the F-106 and to 48K in a T-38 (it was tough and it took almost 45 minutes to get there but we made it).

I don't recall the sky turning any darker or bluer, nor did the horizon change shape. I could however see over the mountains from Edwards into the LA basin. The smog was impressive :)
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by TenguNoHi » 02 Jun 2005, 03:43

WoW! 48K in a 38, thats impressive, whats the ceiling on those things?

-Aaron


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by AXDA2600 » 02 Jun 2005, 11:38

I think @ 50,000 ft is not high enough to see the edge of space.

Somehow only those special jets can make it that far like the SR-71, Mig-25 (impressive ceiling of 82,000 ft) and the U-2...

I really like tat pic taken by the U-2 crew... It is so breathtaking... wow...


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by Roscoe » 03 Jun 2005, 04:21

TenguNoHi wrote:WoW! 48K in a 38, thats impressive, whats the ceiling on those things?

-Aaron


I think we maxed it out. At those altitudes throttle movements must be VERY SMOOTH and VERY SLOW or the engine will roll back and you'll lose 10,000 feet before you get to air thick enough to get the engine turning again.
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by falcon-watcher » 07 Jun 2005, 21:34

I flew the Concorde in the mid-90s and looked for the curvature effect.
The windows are tiny so the only way to begin to see the effect is to sweep your head across the horizon...and even then it is not very spectacular.
And this is at 60K feet.

And I didn't see any blackness at all.

So either that pic was photoshopped or it was at a higher altitude.
I'm sure the engineers out there can tell us the altitude based on the curvature (assuming the lens wasn't a fisheye, etc.)


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by parrothead » 08 Jun 2005, 01:04

So either that pic was photoshopped or it was at a higher altitude.


My $$$ is on the higher altitude :D !
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by Yellow13 » 08 Jun 2005, 15:15

Anyone see "Black Sky"? the show about SpaceShipOne? That's some great pics!
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by falcon-watcher » 09 Jun 2005, 14:01

I got an AF buddy to confirm the pic in this thread -- it is, in fact, from a U-2, but the altitude is unknown...probably higher than 50K though.

The posted pic is of Tahoe and the Sierras. I got two more which I'll post.
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U-2-view-from-cockpit.jpg
U-2-over-Arizona.jpg



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