4 ms·
Floating a balloon to the upper atmosphere doesn't make a meaningful difference in escaping the planet, it saves you a few percent of the energy but you still h
by PeterisP 3y ago
Floating a balloon to the upper atmosphere doesn't make a meaningful difference in escaping the planet, it saves you a few percent of the energy but you still have to do most of the work to bring it up to escape velocity. Going to space isn't about getting high, it's about getting fast.
- eru 3y agoThough you might be able to get past a substantial portion of the atmosphere, and that would help you get past a lot of sources of friction. Getting off a planet, even a heavy one, that doesn't have an atmosphere would be relatively easier, because you could 'just' build very long, flat rails to accelerate along.