space jump skydiver

Got something to say, but it's not classic related? Here's the place to discuss. Also includes the once ever-so-popular word association thread... (although we've had to start from scratch with it - sorry!)
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mr rusty
Posts: 469
Joined: Tue Feb 22, 2011 10:17 am
Location: Harlow, the birthplace of fibreoptic communication, as the town sign says.

Re: space jump skydiver

#11 Post by mr rusty »

Not if all you are trying to put into pace is a small satalite
...simple Newtonian mechanics is the reason- for an object to remain in orbit it needs to be at a rate constant freefall which balances it's forward momentum against the pull of gravity. As the awesone Felix demonstrated gravity is just as strong up there as it is down here...that's why he fell straight down. It's a common misconception that there's no gravity up there- when you see astronauts floating around in the spacecraft it's because they're actually falling at the same speed as the spacecraft, but in an orbital pattern . Einstein explained it well with the lift - if a lift falls to earth in a tower block, everything in that lift will be falling at the same rate, so the people in the lift will experience zero G as they are falling at the same constant one G as the box they're in, their only frame of reference, and they will feel weightless.....but they won't be....thud! So.......for a satellite to remain in orbit, it needs a push, at a precise angle and speed, which only a rocket can provide! Simple!
1968 Triumph Vitesse Mk1 2 litre convertible, Junior Miss rusty has a 1989 998cc Mk2 Metro, Mrs Rusty has a modern common rail diesel thing.
rich.
Posts: 6893
Joined: Wed Jan 05, 2011 9:18 pm

Re: space jump skydiver

#12 Post by rich. »

mr rusty wrote:
Not if all you are trying to put into pace is a small satalite
...simple Newtonian mechanics is the reason- for an object to remain in orbit it needs to be at a rate constant freefall which balances it's forward momentum against the pull of gravity. As the awesone Felix demonstrated gravity is just as strong up there as it is down here...that's why he fell straight down. It's a common misconception that there's no gravity up there- when you see astronauts floating around in the spacecraft it's because they're actually falling at the same speed as the spacecraft, but in an orbital pattern . Einstein explained it well with the lift - if a lift falls to earth in a tower block, everything in that lift will be falling at the same rate, so the people in the lift will experience zero G as they are falling at the same constant one G as the box they're in, their only frame of reference, and they will feel weightless.....but they won't be....thud! So.......for a satellite to remain in orbit, it needs a push, at a precise angle and speed, which only a rocket can provide! Simple!

are you a teacher? im trying to teach my 3 yr old some basic science so when she grows up she can be a rocket scientist... or as emily says wocket wocket wocket.. makes me proud :D
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