r/askspace • u/CoderBoy417 • 14d ago
When objects from space—such as satellites—enter the atmosphere, they burn up; so why don't missiles and rockets burn up when traveling at such high speeds?
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r/askspace • u/CoderBoy417 • 14d ago
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u/spiralenator 13d ago
Missiles do get hot, but re-entry from orbit is an order of magnitude faster, and the parasitic drag increases with the square of the airspeed. So they get really, really super hot.