Since just before liftoff the speed is zero, the speed 'at liftoff' is just a tiny bit faster than zero. The speed gets faster and faster as time passes and the rocket moves up.
The Space Shuttle goes from zero to 17,000 mph in 8.5 minutes. The speed of the gases exiting the Solid Rocket Booster motor is 6,000 mph -- three times the speed of a high-powered rifle.
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A space shuttle typically reaches a speed of about 17,500 miles per hour (28,000 kilometers per hour) during liftoff. This speed allows the shuttle to break free from Earth's gravity and enter orbit around our planet.
The two space shuttles that did not make it to space are Enterprise, which was used for atmospheric test flights, and Challenger, which tragically exploded shortly after lift-off in 1986.
Helium is used as a pressurizing agent in the fuel and oxidizer tanks of space shuttles. By regulating pressure during fuel consumption, helium ensures a steady flow of propellants to the engines, which is crucial for achieving the necessary thrust to lift the shuttle off the ground and into space.
(of a rocket or spacecraft) take off from a launching site."space shuttles generally blast off with a minimum of fuss"synonyms:be launched, take off, lift off, leave the ground, become airborne, take to the air"a rocket blasted off for a rendezvous with the space station"
Shuttles are spacecraft designed to transport astronauts and cargo to and from space. They are used to ferry astronauts to space stations, deploy satellites, conduct scientific research, and perform maintenance on existing space infrastructure. Shuttles also play a critical role in constructing and servicing spacecraft in orbit.
There have been two space shuttles that exploded during launch: Challenger in 1986 and Columbia in 2003.