- #1
just_curious
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To put an object into orbit just above the Earth's surface, it would need to tavel at roughly 8000 meters per second tangent to the surface of the Earth - (escape velocity). Assume that there is no atmosphere or any obstructions to slow the object down or get in the way.
The direction around the Earth does not matter. It could travel around the Earth following the equator or it could go over the poles. As long as it goes 8000 meters per second, it will go into orbit. Satellites do this every day.
Suppose that you had a gyroscope with a 1 meter radius and you spun it at 1274 RPS. The outer edge of the gyroscope would be traveling at 8000 meters per second tangent to the surface of the earth.
(2*Pi*R*1274 revolutions per second=8000 meters per second)
Can someone explain why such an apparatus would not hover? Also, if you were to speed it up, why would it not accelerate away from the earth?
Forget the fact that it would be close to impossible to build such an apparatus and spin it that fast without it flying apart. I just want to know why it would not work.
The direction around the Earth does not matter. It could travel around the Earth following the equator or it could go over the poles. As long as it goes 8000 meters per second, it will go into orbit. Satellites do this every day.
Suppose that you had a gyroscope with a 1 meter radius and you spun it at 1274 RPS. The outer edge of the gyroscope would be traveling at 8000 meters per second tangent to the surface of the earth.
(2*Pi*R*1274 revolutions per second=8000 meters per second)
Can someone explain why such an apparatus would not hover? Also, if you were to speed it up, why would it not accelerate away from the earth?
Forget the fact that it would be close to impossible to build such an apparatus and spin it that fast without it flying apart. I just want to know why it would not work.