What does rocket exhaust look like in space?

It looks a bit like a wide open reflector light shining through a slightly humid air in otherwise complete darkness.

Can you see rocket flame in space?

The flame exiting the space shuttle main engine is obviously transparent. But, you can’t see objects through either the Saturn V booster flame or that of the space shuttle solid rocket boosters.

Does rocket exhaust cast a shadow?

The sunlit exhaust plume casts an immensely long shadow. At first sight its direction and shape are enigmatic. Miles above, the shuttle and its plume have broken out into sunlight and their shadow stretches through the atmosphere.

Can I see the rocket launch?

Witnessing a live rocket launch is a jaw-dropping, bucket-list experience. Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex provides the closest public viewing of rocket launches with live launch commentary from space experts. The visitor complex may offer launch tickets for rocket launches.

What does smoke in space look like?

The hot smoke is lighter than air, so it floats upward like a boat in water. A spaceship orbiting earth is moving fast enough to break gravity and the vacuum of space has no density.

Does sending rockets into space damage the atmosphere?

Solid rocket engines, such as those used in the past in the boosters of NASA’s space shuttle, burn metallic compounds and emit aluminum oxide particles together with hydrochloric acid, both of which have a damaging effect on the atmosphere.

Why does a flame have no shadow?

The main reason why the flame has no shadow is because the flame itself is a source of light. A shadow is the surface area which is less bright than its surroundings because something is blocking light partially or fully from that area. Therefore, a shadow is nothing but a darker area with the absence of light.

How does rocket exhaust affect Earth’s ozone?

Researchers are investigating the extent to which rocket exhaust and falling space debris contribute to depleting Earth’s ozone. (Image credit: NASA) Space hardware falling back to Earth can affect the atmosphere as well, so re-entering orbital debris should also be studied, Ross said.

What does a rocket exhaust plume look like in the atmosphere?

There are plenty of photos of rocket tests and launches in atmosphere, and in these the exhaust plume tends to be a long thin flame. Is this true for when rocket engines operate in a vacuum?

What happens to smoke in space?

I spent two years as a life support instructor for the International Space Station, and smoke (and fire) in space is something we trained for constantly. Smoke rises in earth’s gravity field due to thermal convection (i.e. “hot air rises, cold air sinks”). In the microgravity of the ISS, thermal convection isn’t possible.

What is the best time of day to see a rocket launch?

It is most clearly visible when the launch takes place shortly after sunset or shortly before sunrise when the sky is mostly dark while the plume is illuminated by sunlight. Thanks for contributing an answer to Space Exploration Stack Exchange!