cross-posted from: https://mander.xyz/post/18022653
Launches
this post was submitted on 13 Sep 2024
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I mean it sound like we have come to an agreement. It will eventually happen. Granted stable orbits will take much longer. billions of years while an unstable will be pretty quick in cosmic terms. The helios sattelites which were launched and nasa took pains for them not to fall into the sun did so a little after 10 years. That is not very long at all and again its easier to get the orbit that will not survive. So we are talking a few years. Again this is why I find these arguments just dumb because they are looking at the idea of launching the thing directly, again like an arrow, like a bullet, like a laser, into the sun. thats just not necessary.
The Helios probes are still in orbit, they're just not functional
I agree that the idea of launching an object into the sun like an arrow or a bullet is not necessary. I have said so repeatedly. Also, the NASA scientists are correct. You must spend energy to change an orbit. They do not decay spontaneously. I'm happy you can take some comfort in the knowledge that, when the sun grows large enough to smash into the earth - not when the orbit destabilizes - you will in some sense have been correct. Wait long enough, and the sun will fall into you.