5 ms·
Gravity -- it is within the earths gravity well, this force still applies. Thrusters -- satellites have thrusters to keep it in orbit and to avoid obstacles.
by jdjdjdjrgrgh 3y ago
Gravity -- it is within the earths gravity well, this force still applies.
Thrusters -- satellites have thrusters to keep it in orbit and to avoid obstacles.
Thus losing pressure will cause the inflatable to lose shape.
- londons_explore 3y agoGravity is effectively nil on a satellite - the satellite is within the gravity well, yes, but is constantly falling in a parabolic path, so doesn't feel any gravity. The total forces experienced due to gravity and related forces will be nano-newtons, so irrelevant. They are dwarfed by the drag force. Thrusters are ion drive thrusters, so have typical forces of 2 milliNewtons (0.2 grams-force). I don't think 2 millinewtons will be sufficient to fold an airbed-like structure, even with 0 internal pressure. (imagine a fly lands on a plastic bag... the fly isn't heavy enough to flatten the bag, even though the bag has no internal structure - a fly is about 0.2 grams).