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submitted 2 weeks ago by fossilesque@mander.xyz to c/science_memes@mander.xyz

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[-] druidjaidan@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago

Ignoring that it burned up and ignoring losses due to drag if it somehow didn't. Isn't the point of escape velocity that it explicitly won't come back down.iar least not on earth. Your trajectory won't matter as you have enough velocity to escape the gravity of earth and will orbit the sun. Further if you managed the solar system escape velocity you will end up orbiting the galactic core. Trajectory doesn't matter if you have escape velocity. Correct trajectory just minimizes the delta v needed to reach that escape velocity.

At least that's all my recollection.

[-] Maggoty@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago

Escape velocity means you could stay in orbit. It doesn't guarantee anything if you launch at the wrong angle.

[-] merc@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 weeks ago

Exactly. It's the minimum speed required to get into orbit assuming you get the direction correct. If you launch vertically, you'll almost certainly come back down, no matter how far out into space you go. The only consideration is that if you go far enough out you might be influenced by the gravity of something else like the moon which could change your trajectory.

[-] druidjaidan@lemmy.world 1 points 2 weeks ago

That is not the definition of escape velocity. Escape velocity is the minimum velocity to escape a body's gravity well entirely. Orbital is much lower

[-] druidjaidan@lemmy.world 1 points 2 weeks ago

That is not the definition of escape velocity. Escape velocity is the minimum velocity to escape a body's gravity well entirely. Orbital is much lower