air in space i just seen a bbc newsround report, page 3
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reply posted on 9-8-2006 @ 04:46 PM by ArMaP
Originally posted by backtoreality
I'm not sure what "rarefied" means, but you used artificial satellites as your one and only example to show that there is zero drag in space.


source

rarefied
adjective
Marked by great diffusion of component particles: rare, thin


I never said that there is zero drag in space, the drag is not zero because space is not a complete vacuum.

What examples do you want me to use?

This thread started because leejones saw a report about the space station where he/she could see something with a movement that looked like there was wind, that is why I am using artificial satellites as an example, because this thread started about something that was seen on an artificial satellite.




If indeed the drag is "rarefied", then why are satellites given a life expectancy? It's not because of bad healthcare in space; it's because they can only fit a certain amount of propellant on board to give them their scheduled boosts back into their original orbit.

I hate to post links, but check out this one on the ISS average orbit: directly attributed to drag. It doesn't look "rarefied" to me.

www.heavens-above.com...


What is rarefied is the air, not the drag.

And only because the air is rarefied do the artificial satellites stay on orbit for years instead of days.

In fact, when they start to loose altitude and enter the area where the air less rarefied, they burn because of the high temperatures created by the friction of the air against them.


PS: why do you hate to post links?
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