Re: a surprising escape speed problem

[Brian Whatcott <betwys@DIRECTVINTERNET.COM>]

At 07:55 AM 10/26/02, John Mallinckrodt, you wrote:
> ... In my last message I said
> that, to the extent that the radius of the Earth is NOT negligible,
> the required launch speed depends on both the ratio R_earth/R_orbit
> and the ratio v_orbit/v_esc.  I should have added that it also
> depends on the direction of launch in exactly the way Tore has
> indicated.
>
> It should also be noted, however, that "escape velocity" in a case
> like this does not produce "zero veocity at infinity" except,
> perhaps, wrt the Earth at one point in its orbit.
>
> --
> John Mallinckrodt


I am probably missing the whole point of this puzzle which I thought was to
posit the replacement of the Sun's gravitational attraction with a string.

I visualize a string distributed to act on every Earth particle, and
realise that
 this is a gravity force by another name. So the question turns out to be:
what is the effect on space launches if Earth's diurnal rotation is stopped?
 I take it that one loses the advantage of equatorial launches.
 And that's about it.

Isn't it?



Brian Whatcott
  Altus OK                      Eureka!

This posting is the position of the writer, not that of SUNY-BSC, NAU or the AAPT.