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From: throopw@rtp47.UUCP (Wayne Throop)
Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: Re: Swimming in space
Message-ID: <37@rtp47.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 13-May-85 18:13:55 EDT
Article-I.D.: rtp47.37
Posted: Mon May 13 18:13:55 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 16-May-85 07:11:58 EDT
References: <> <478@nmtvax.UUCP>
Reply-To: throopw@vm.UUCP (PUT YOUR NAME HERE)
Organization: Data General, RTP, NC
Lines: 21

In article <478@nmtvax.UUCP> maurice@nmtvax.UUCP (Roger M. Levasseur) writes:
>
>>I wonder if a change in the ship's velocity would affect the hapless astronaut
>>who is hanging in mid-air.
>
>    Yes, it would. It has been noticed that objects that are floating in
>mid air will start to drift, or change directions when the control rockets
>fire to keep the shuttle pointed the right way, or just change directions.
>If it does happen to an object, it should be the same for an astronaut.
>
>Roger Levasseur

Well, if you ignore air resistance and such, a change in ship's velocity
would NOT affect the floating astronaut.  Which of course means that as the
vehicle accelerates, it bangs into the floating astronaut.  In other words,
it doesn't much matter whether an astronaut is inside the spacecraft or not,
s/he stays put and the craft accelerates.  The nice thing about being inside
is that no matter which way the craft departs, a wall eventually collides
with the occupant and takes him/her along.
-- 
Wayne Throop at Data General, RTP, NC
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