https://jamesm.blog/tags/reentry/ Recent content in Reentry on jamesm.blog https://jamesm.blog/papermod-cover.png https://jamesm.blog/papermod-cover.png Hugo en Sun, 19 Apr 2026 19:54:00 +0100 https://jamesm.blog/space/why-spacecraft-dont-slow-down-before-reentry/ Sun, 19 Apr 2026 19:54:00 +0100 https://jamesm.blog/space/why-spacecraft-dont-slow-down-before-reentry/ Returning from the Moon, spacecraft slam into the atmosphere at 25,000 mph. Why not slow down first? The answer comes down to energy, mass, and the brutal mathematics of rocket fuel.