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If that were true, it would be impossible to leave the solar system, since everything is currently in the Sun's gravity well, and the Sun is larger than Jupiter
by hossbeast 7y ago
If that were true, it would be impossible to leave the solar system, since everything is currently in the Sun's gravity well, and the Sun is larger than Jupiter. But we have sent probes outside the solar system (did they fully leave the Sun's gravity well yet though? Not sure)
- davidivadavid 7y agoBut we didn't send the probes from the Sun.
- furyofantares 7y agoPlus I don't think it got its velocity from Earth, but by using gravity assists to steal momentum from other planets (which, if you don't know how that works, do yourself a favor and read the wikipedia page, it's pretty great).
- gmoot 7y agoSure, we could orbit Jupiter and get back out. But if we ever descended to the "surface" we couldn't climb back out. Voyager 1/2 and New Horizons are at escape velocity and leaving the solar system.
- lostmsu 7y agoYou have to have high thrust to get out of the dragging atmosphere.
- sudhirj 7y agoThe premise is about current chemical propellants and structural components. If you build a rocket out of nanotubes with nuclear propulsion you could go wherever you want from anywhere else. Except black holes.
- mrfusion 7y agoRemember that we’re already orbiting the sun though. A lot of the hard work is already done.