Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Science/2018 July 22

= July 22 =

Light on the Explorer 1 rocket
On the rocket that launched Explorer 1 you can see a light on the rocket just before it turns from the cylindrical part to the conical part. What is the reason for this light? Bubba73 You talkin' to me? 02:01, 22 July 2018 (UTC)


 * WAG tracking the spin rate without telemetry. Also presumably a rocket needs nav lights.Greglocock (talk) 07:43, 22 July 2018 (UTC)
 * A spacecraft may have navigation lights, but I doubt if they'd be required or useful on ascent stages, which are kinda obvious when they're burning and aren't usually around for very long afterwards. That said, Explorer 1's fourth stage remained attached to the payload, but who would have been able to see a navigation light on it? {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} 2.219.34.253 (talk) 08:34, 22 July 2018 (UTC)


 * It may be so they could see spin or something, which may be why it was launched at night (another WAG). The light is near the top of the first stage.  Bubba73 You talkin' to me? 18:59, 22 July 2018 (UTC)


 * By 'need' I meant legally obliged, not that they were necessary for function. Greglocock (talk) 20:01, 22 July 2018 (UTC)

If I was a rocket designer, I'd definitely look for oppprtunities to include things that didn't interfere but look cool. This is not the main reason why I'm not a rocket designer. --Dweller (talk) Become old fashioned! 10:37, 27 July 2018 (UTC)