We all love getting the window seat on an airplane just to enjoy the views outside. You may even have seen a spacecraft or two with windows for astronauts to see outside in space. And since rockets are a type of spacecraft, it’s only natural to wonder whether they have windows too.
But the vast majority of rockets do not have windows. This is because it poses a safety risk for both the rocket and the astronauts. It is difficult to build windows that can survive the impact of a meteorite strike.
Continue reading below as we discuss whether rockets have windows and the challenges posed by them.
Anatomy of a Rocket
There are countless different sized and shaped pieces that make up a rocket, but for simplicity’s sake, let’s just say there are four main parts. These parts include:
- The structure (the foundation that holds everything together, like a plane’s fuselage)
- The propulsion system (the engine, fuel reservoirs, and any of the exterior rocket boosters)
- The navigational system (the onboard, computerized navigation that directs the rocket to its destination)
- The payload (the objects that the rocket is transporting, which can range from humans and satellites to components of space stations and nuclear weapons)
The latest generation of space rockets is designed to operate like two or three separate rockets that have been glued together to create what are called stages. While a rocket’s several stages may each have their own propulsion and navigation systems, only the last stage normally carries the rocket’s payload. Only the rocket’s upper stage makes it to its goal; the lower stages disengage one at a time as they burn off their fuel supplies.
Some rockets, such as the Space Shuttle and the European Ariane, have an appearance that is similar to that of a large number of smaller rockets that have been “strapped” together. These rockets have a larger rocket in the center and several smaller rockets on either side. That large rocket in the middle is the primary one.
Those shorter rockets on either side are known as booster rockets. They are not much more than large fireworks; they are throwaway engines that offer a wallop of additional power at liftoff in order to get the primary rocket into space.
The propulsion system, often known as the engine, is the most important component of a rocket because it is responsible for propelling it into the atmosphere. Rockets are different from jet planes and other types of fuel-powered machines that operate on Earth in that they are required to travel with their own supply of oxygen. This is something that jet planes do not need to do.
The primary engines of today’s space rockets are fueled by liquid fuels like liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen that are fed in from enormous tanks. The fuel, which is also known as the propellant, and oxygen, which is known as the oxidizer, are kept in storage at low temperatures and high pressures so that more may be transported in the tanks. This allows the rocket to travel further while using the same amount of fuel.
Do Rockets Have Windows?
Some rockets feature windows, but this is by no means the norm. This is because of a number of engineering and safety reasons. It’s true that capsules often have windows, but they’re made of strong material, and astronauts are usually too preoccupied with other tasks to care about taking in the view as they blast out. After an event has occurred, astronauts find it most reliable to rely on the images captured by the onboard cameras.
Windows can also weigh a lot. And they could be quite dangerous in outer space. There is a limitation on the amount of protection that may be provided for windows against impact damage caused by debris or micrometeoroids. Therefore, it’s better to not include windows altogether where possible.
Having too many windows or the wrong kind of windows may additionally compromise the safety of a vehicle. A window of the Lunar Module burst out during a pressure test that was performed on Earth as part of the design and testing process. An unprepared crew would have been wiped out if something like that had occurred in lunar orbit.
The same holds true for the spaceships of today, which transport astronauts to and from the ISS. If and when spaceships designed for commercial tourism by organizations like SpaceX or Blue Origin become available, they may feature windows.
In addition, windows are a sign of structural weakness, and in any case, there isn’t much that can be seen through them. The only thing that can be seen from the spacecraft is the vastness of space and the glare of the sun, unless it is in the process of orbiting a planet or docking with another vessel. Moreover, spaceship windows allow lethal radiation to enter, unlike submarine windows.
What is a Launch Window?
The launch window refers to the time frame in which a mission can safely take off. If the spacecraft is supposed to come into contact with another spacecraft, a planet, or some other location in space, the launch needs to be meticulously timed to ensure that the orbits will intersect at some point in the future. Bad weather or a malfunction during a launch window means pushing the mission back until the next launch window is available.
The European Space Agency (ESA) successfully launched its Mars Express mission on a Russian Soyuz-Fregat rocket on June 2, 2003, around midway through the scheduled launch window. The Mars Express launch window had begun on May 23 and would continue to be open for a total of 30 days.
But why did we have to wait for a specific time to launch Mars Express? Why not just shoot a rocket into space, locate Mars in the sky, and blast off for the red planet?
Picture the Solar System as a giant track where athletes compete. If you were spectating the 400-meter dash from the middle of the track and you saw a runner you wanted to catch, one option would be to give them a chase. You could possibly catch up if you were very fast, but only after putting in a lot of effort and traveling quite a distance.
A more effective way to catch your athlete is to cross to the opposite side of the circular track. It’s a shorter trip that requires significantly less time and energy.
You plan your route so that you cross the track at the same moment as them. If you get there too soon, you end up waiting for them. If you are too late, you will not only have missed them entirely, but you will also have to wait one lap until they come around again.
In the same way, there are no direct routes for space travel. The orbits of the planets around the Sun are both circular and elliptical, and they are all very lengthy and curved. Mars Express must first depart from Earth and then embark on a journey in an elliptical orbit around the Sun that will, at some point in the future, bring it into orbital alignment with Mars.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there aren’t many rockets with windows, and for good reason. Adding windows to rockets could compromise their safety. However, future rockets used for space tourism may feature windows.
