轨道器在航天飞机系统里是最关键的部分,它长37.2米,高17.4米,翼展23.8米。轨道器在再入大气层时,为了使摩擦阻力减至最小,采用了头朝下的方式下降,这与以前载人飞船的再入方法不一样。航天飞机轨道器进入地球大气层时,因与空气发生猛烈摩擦,在它的底部会产生巨大的热量。由于轨道器构架和它的蒙皮基本上都是 The orbiter is the most crucial part of the space shuttle system. It is 37.2 meters long, 17.4 meters high and 23.8 meters wide. Orbiter reentry into the atmosphere, in order to minimize the frictional resistance, with a downward head-down manner, which is different from the previous reentry manned spacecraft approach. As the space shuttle orbiter enters the Earth’s atmosphere, it violently rubs with the air, generating huge amounts of heat at its base. Because the orbiter framework and its skins are basically all