Comments on: Origami reentry vehicle http://futurismic.com/2008/01/23/origami-reentry-vehicle/ Presenting the fact and fiction of tomorrow since 2001 Fri, 10 Feb 2012 22:03:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Jeremy Eades http://futurismic.com/2008/01/23/origami-reentry-vehicle/comment-page-1/#comment-12782 Jeremy Eades Thu, 24 Jan 2008 10:24:04 +0000 http://futurismic.com/2008/01/23/origami-reentry-vehicle/#comment-12782 Thanks for the lesson, Greg. This idea kinda boggles the mind. Thanks for the lesson, Greg. This idea kinda boggles the mind.

]]> By: Greg http://futurismic.com/2008/01/23/origami-reentry-vehicle/comment-page-1/#comment-12766 Greg Thu, 24 Jan 2008 01:29:38 +0000 http://futurismic.com/2008/01/23/origami-reentry-vehicle/#comment-12766 In a nutshell: In an atmosphere, terminal velocity is the result of the ratio of surface area of the object (which determines the amount of friction with the surrounding atmosphere) to the object's mass (how much stuff the atmospheric friction must slow down to a terminal velocity). So in an atmosphere, objects of different shapes and masses have different terminal velocities, which is why a parachute works-- large, cupped surface area, low mass. In space, since there is no atmosphere, you could say that the terminal velocity of all objects is infinitely close to the speed of light. In a nutshell:
In an atmosphere, terminal velocity is the result of the ratio of surface area of the object (which determines the amount of friction with the surrounding atmosphere) to the object’s mass (how much stuff the atmospheric friction must slow down to a terminal velocity). So in an atmosphere, objects of different shapes and masses have different terminal velocities, which is why a parachute works– large, cupped surface area, low mass.
In space, since there is no atmosphere, you could say that the terminal velocity of all objects is infinitely close to the speed of light.

]]> By: Jeremy http://futurismic.com/2008/01/23/origami-reentry-vehicle/comment-page-1/#comment-12765 Jeremy Thu, 24 Jan 2008 01:13:58 +0000 http://futurismic.com/2008/01/23/origami-reentry-vehicle/#comment-12765 'Everything has a terminal velocity' :P It's been awhile since physics. Does everything have the same terminal velocity? In a vacuum, they do, right? But how about in an atmosphere? ‘Everything has a terminal velocity’

:P

It’s been awhile since physics. Does everything have the same terminal velocity? In a vacuum, they do, right? But how about in an atmosphere?

]]> By: Tomas Martin http://futurismic.com/2008/01/23/origami-reentry-vehicle/comment-page-1/#comment-12760 Tomas Martin Wed, 23 Jan 2008 22:19:58 +0000 http://futurismic.com/2008/01/23/origami-reentry-vehicle/#comment-12760 Now that is very cool. Just imagine how great it'd feel to find it! Now that is very cool. Just imagine how great it’d feel to find it!

]]> By: tobias buckell http://futurismic.com/2008/01/23/origami-reentry-vehicle/comment-page-1/#comment-12759 tobias buckell Wed, 23 Jan 2008 22:06:50 +0000 http://futurismic.com/2008/01/23/origami-reentry-vehicle/#comment-12759 Everything has a terminal velocity :-) Everything has a terminal velocity :-)

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