Stryd thought experiment:
1) Picture a person wearing a spacesuit standing on a tiny planet. The planet is so tiny that not only is the gravitational field too weak to hold an atmosphere (hence the need for the spacesuit), but also so weak that the individual can achieve orbital velocity by pushing off in a single step. They do so, and now orbit the planet forever without ever touching down again. What is their "running" speed over the surface of the planet? What is their power output?
2) Picture the exact same person wearing exactly the same spacesuit standing on Earth, while wearing the Hoverbelt^tm they got for Christmas. The Hoverbelt^tm reduces their weight to exactly the same value as in scenario #1 above. They push off exactly as before as well. Do they achieve orbital velocity, or do they eventually settle back down to Earth and have to push off again? if the latter, how does their power output differ/compare to scenario #1?
1) Picture a person wearing a spacesuit standing on a tiny planet. The planet is so tiny that not only is the gravitational field too weak to hold an atmosphere (hence the need for the spacesuit), but also so weak that the individual can achieve orbital velocity by pushing off in a single step. They do so, and now orbit the planet forever without ever touching down again. What is their "running" speed over the surface of the planet? What is their power output?
2) Picture the exact same person wearing exactly the same spacesuit standing on Earth, while wearing the Hoverbelt^tm they got for Christmas. The Hoverbelt^tm reduces their weight to exactly the same value as in scenario #1 above. They push off exactly as before as well. Do they achieve orbital velocity, or do they eventually settle back down to Earth and have to push off again? if the latter, how does their power output differ/compare to scenario #1?
Last edited by:
Andrew Coggan: Dec 26, 15 5:48