• Maggoty@lemmy.world
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    19 hours ago

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

    • druidjaidan@lemmy.world
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      47 minutes 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

    • merc
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      6 hours 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
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        47 minutes 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