Travelling to Mars at constant velocity? Weightless?

[chi_rho]

If I'm traveling on a spaceship at a constant velocity (say 10000 m/s) towards Mars will I feel weightless, or will I feel nearly weightless because I will still be slightly affected by gravity?

I know that when astronauts are in the ISS they feel weightless because they are in a constant state of free-fall, but I don't feel like the same idea applies to the spaceship traveling to Mars. Any clarification would be great! Thanks!

 

[DaveC426913]

If I'm traveling on a spaceship at a constant velocity (say 10000 m/s) towards Mars will I feel weightless, or will I feel nearly weightless because I will still be slightly affected by gravity?

I know that when astronauts are in the ISS they feel weightless because they are in a constant state of free-fall, but I don't feel like the same idea applies to the spaceship traveling to Mars.

Why wouldn't it apply? They're still in orbit.

 

[chi_rho]

Why wouldn't it apply? They're still in orbit.

How are they still considered to be in orbit if they are traveling to another planet, not around? Can we consider anything traveling through space to be in an orbit of some type?

 

[DaveC426913]

How are they still considered to be in orbit if they are traveling to another planet, not around? Can we consider anything traveling through space to be in an orbit of some type?

Not anything, just anything near the sun that is not under power.

 

[chi_rho]

Not anything, just anything near the sun that is not under power.

Ok that makes sense! Thanks!

 

[DaveC426913]

Although, it' not the 'in orbit' that makes them weightless, it's the 'not under power'.

If they were floating one jillion miles away in interstellar space, they'd effectively be stopped in space, not exactly in orbit, but they'd still be weightless.

 

[russ_watters]

I would generalize to say that any time you are not under power in space you are in free fall toward "something", it's just that "something" may not always be readily apparent.

 

[DrStupid]

I would generalize to say that any time you are not under power in space you are in free fall toward "something", it's just that "something" may not always be readily apparent.

During a trip to Mars the velocity wouldn't be constant in free fall.

 

[russ_watters]

During a trip to Mars the velocity wouldn't be constant in free fall.

True! Dave added the important qualifier, that "not under power" is the key state of affairs during a normal trip. Hopefully the OP now recognizes that "constant velocity" is an unusual condition to apply. I suspect he mistakenly believed that when coasting during a normal trip, velocity would be constant.

 

[Spring]

I will be deviding you're question into 2, if you don't mind.

If you have constant velocity Then the added forced to you will be zero, even if gavity affects you, constant velocity means something is negating this gravity.
That means weightless (not massless). On the other hand you might feel presured by the forces.

On the other hand, In space, espacially on a trip to a different planet and in a solar system like ours, it is unlikely that if you feel significent force there will be something to negate it in space. So in a free fall to a planet you will change velocity, meaning acceleration . And that means force like F=ma using angular acceleration.

Hope I helped and not mislead, even though members here have deeper understanding of this subject.

 

[russ_watters]

If you have constant velocity Then the added forced to you will be zero, even if gavity affects you, constant velocity means something is negating this gravity.
That means weightless (not massless). On the other hand you might feel presured by the forces.

How can you feel "pressured", but weightless? I'm not even sure what "pressured" means. Sorry, but maintaining constant velocity while under the influence of gravity requires applying a force opposite the gravitational force. A force you feel.