Ice falling off rockets and space shuttle

[Switch625]

Hi all,

When you see a rocket launch or space shuttle launch, you usually see big chunks of ice falling from the vessel during lift-off.
I am half-convinced I once saw a programme where they put forward an interesting scientific explanation of why this is so, involving air pressures and various other factors during launch. I remember it making sense at the time in a pop-science sort of way, but I can't find anything on the Internet which readily confirms this.

Does anybody know whether this is the case? Or is the explanation something entirely mundane such as that the spacecraft is supercooled before takeoff so the ice is already there and the vibrations simply shake it loose?

[hyperion]

I'm guessing it's because liquid oxygen is kinda cold.

[Switch625]

ah... yeah, you're right. Of course, the shuttle's main fuel tank is full of liquid hydrogen at -253°C, so you'd expect a lot of ice to form on the outside.

The answer was a lot easier (and more boring) than I expected.

Thanks anyway.

[Cryopyre]

hah, simplicity

[Øsse]

I'm allowing myself to use this thread to ask a related question. I was just wondering, in this video: http://youtube.com/watch?v=tKZzFTLrNvc, what's that white gas/liquid coming from those small nozzles by the main engines? (first seen after about 6 seconds). I first thought it was the water they use to cool the platform, but I guess it's not enough for that.

[jaap]

I'm allowing myself to use this thread to ask a related question. I was just wondering, in this video: http://youtube.com/watch?v=tKZzFTLrNvc, what's that white gas/liquid coming from those small nozzles by the main engines? (first seen after about 6 seconds).

I don't know, but it might be the exhaust for some kind of cooling system in the engine.

I first thought it was the water they use to cool the platform, but I guess it's not enough for that.

The main purpose of the water is not cooling, but absorbing the sound wave energy from the rocket engines. Without it the whole platform would be shaken to pieces, or so I was told when I visited Florida. At 3:10 in the video he says "Sound Suppression Water System is armed.".

[Thisisnotausername]

I wonder if sound suppression water systems could prevent burglaries

[Øsse]

I wonder if sound suppression water systems could prevent burglaries

Sounds like a job for SMASH LAB!!!

[IceBurner]

I try not to fall off rockets as much as possible, re-entry really hurts.

My apologies, I had to.