I just realized it's weird that most people seem to think that zero-gravity "Vomit Comet" flights achieve free fall by diving straight down, instead of following a parabolic arc up and over like they really do. Because that's actually a thing commonly done in everyday life, when stealing a bite of something drippy from a plate across the table. You do a little bouncing motion, and then move it up and over in an arc to your own plate, trying to keep everything in freefall so the drips follow the fork and don't fall on the table on the way. It's the exact same maneuver!
Replying to @attoparsec@clacks.link
@attoparsec Cool, just like anarchy, something everyone does every day but doesn't even think about it.
Replying to @attoparsec@clacks.link
@attoparsec "stealing a bite of something drippy from across the table"
What?
Replying to @edgeofeurope@mastodon.social
@edgeofeurope @attoparsec Yeah that explanation is as clear as mud to me..
The way I understand it is that the horizontal and vertical vectors are independent so it can descend at a rate required to offset gravity whilst still going forwards, which leads to a parabolic curve.
