The Parker Solar Probe’s new top speed could get you from NYC to LA in just 20 seconds. It’s not done yet.

  • lutillian
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    38
    ·
    edit-2
    1 year ago

    I’m theory, the previous record holder is actually a particular man hole cover involved in operation plumbbum. Some napkin math put it at somewhere around 37 miles per second. A high speed camera pointed at it only caught one or two frames of moment.

    • Sitkemkev@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      10
      arrow-down
      3
      ·
      1 year ago

      Ah yes, the manhole cover made in Neenah, Wisconsin. Probably the furthest man made object from Earth at this point for sure.

      • Kerfuffle
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        23
        ·
        1 year ago

        Probably the furthest man made object from Earth at this point for sure.

        The article says “Scientists believe compression heating caused the cap to vaporize as it sped through the atmosphere.

      • spearz@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        5
        ·
        1 year ago

        This, and Chris Waddle’s penalty kick for England against West Germany in the 1990 World Cup semi final.

      • JohnDClay
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        3
        arrow-down
        5
        ·
        1 year ago

        It’s unlikely it kept it though the atmosphere. But it’s possible it was traveling so fast it didn’t even have time to vaporize.