Several threads on Plasma Stealth got me thinking....

The shuttle is surrounded by a shell of plasma when it returns to earth. I thought they traced the shuttles decent on radar from space all the way to touchdown. I know that communications are not always possible, but I think that it does show up on radar. My physics are not my strong suit. Am I worng on this?? If not is this proof that plasma stealth does not work?

You know I think your right to some degree about plasma throughing off communication. But I think its routine for aircraft carriers to track reentreis by NASA. I'm fairly positive its tracked on radar. But how could you miss a huge flaming object like a shuttle.

Originally posted by cyberdude78
You know I think your right to some degree about plasma throughing off communication. But I think its routine for aircraft carriers to track reentreis by NASA. I'm fairly positive its tracked on radar. But how could you miss a huge flaming object like a shuttle.

Thats why im wondering about all this plasma stealth talk. If the shuttle is tracked while enveloped in a ball of plasma and still tracked, how can a plane generate a field around it and escape detection????? Plus as you said, hard to miss visually

Maybe im wrong but here me out the plasma on a shuttle reentry only occur on the bottom and on the leading edges of the wing due to the heat cuz those spots are where it is hot the most but the top of the shuttle is fairly open so the radar from earth hitting the bottom of the craft cuz that's how it comes in would not be able to track it but from above a satellite should have no problem cuz the satellite is facing the top of the shuttle than the satellite relays the position to the ground control center I hope that makes sense

Originally posted by WestPoint23
Maybe im wrong but here me out the plasma on a shuttle reentry only occur on the bottom and on the leading edges of the wing due to the heat cuz those spots are where it is hot the most but the top of the

It does, but I thought most of the tracking was ground based.

When it is coming down at beginning part of the descent is space based tracking when it starts going on level flight as it gets down and goes slower the plasma disappears so then the ground tracking begins.

There is more than one type of plasma A 'plasma' is basically ionised gas, it doesnt even need to be superheated in a lot of cases. Plasma is created by stripping away the outershell of electrons, usually through heating the gas to extreme temperatures (10,000 degree c kind of temperatures).

The plasma surrounding the shuttle in its descent causes disruption of electromagnetic waves such as communications. Plasma stealth works on the same principle except it uses a precisely created low temperature gas plasma (in most cases) which only interferes with certain types of electro magnetic waves.

So in short, yes the shuttle (and all spacecraft) is surrounded by plasma on descent, but its a non controllable form of plasma. The plasma in stealth plasma is created to a precise specification and thus is controlable.