this post was submitted on 02 Feb 2025
86 points (69.2% liked)

Space

9210 readers
49 users here now

Share & discuss informative content on: Astrophysics, Cosmology, Space Exploration, Planetary Science and Astrobiology.

Rules

  1. Be respectful and inclusive.
  2. No harassment, hate speech, or trolling.
  3. Engage in constructive discussions.
  4. Share relevant content.
  5. Follow guidelines and moderators' instructions.
  6. Use appropriate language and tone.
  7. Report violations.
  8. Foster a continuous learning environment.

Picture of the Day

The Busy Center of the Lagoon Nebula

Related Communities

๐Ÿ”ญ Science

๐Ÿš€ Engineering

๐ŸŒŒ Art and Photography

Other Cool Links

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
L7ePvmEn
Bitswap
[email protected]
Agamemnon
otter
86
Giant catapult sends satellites into space without rocket fuel (www.thebrighterside.news)
submitted 6 days ago by cm0002 to c/space
73 comments fedilink hide all child comments
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[โ€“] [email protected] 0 points 5 days ago

It's mathematically impossible to send an object into orbit just from energy imparted on the ground. Depending on the speed you launch it, either it falls back down or it flies off into space.
To achieve orbit you need a circularization burn at the highest point of your trajectory.

Or as Scott Manley put it:
"Getting into space is easy. Getting into orbit is hard."