r/Damnthatsinteresting • u/InsaneMocktail • Sep 08 '26

Video University of Waterloo Students Launch Rocket Breaking World Record

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u/Pcat0 Sep 08 '26

Yep 143km which is well over both the US and international definitions of space (80km and 100km respectively)

-10

u/Eyevis Sep 08 '26

best definition of "reaching space" is achieving orbit imho.

12

u/userhwon Sep 08 '26

No it isn't.

It takes way more energy to achieve orbit than it does to reach space. Like, about 30X more.

-5

u/Eyevis Sep 08 '26

that's why its a way better bar than kissing some imaginary line in the sky.

3

u/dev-sda Sep 09 '26

The Pioneer probes NASA sent to explore our solar system never got into orbit around Eath. So according to you space should be anywhere from 80km to 1Gm depending on your mission profile.

6

u/SheetPancakeBluBalls Sep 09 '26

That's just the worst way to define anything I've ever even heard of.

I literally can't even think of a metaphor worse than this. Just completely unrelated metrics lol.

Edit: got one!

This is saying a boat only floats if it's capable of doing 60 knots on the surface.

0

u/Eyevis Sep 09 '26

floating can be measured and observed, imaginary lines cannot.

its akin to saying a boat floats as long as it has touched water for a second, regardless of whether it sank to the bottom within a minute.

2

u/EphemeralDesires Sep 09 '26

Orbit isn't floating. It is a constant state of free fall.

0

u/Eyevis Sep 09 '26

i've never seen a boat in orbit

1

u/SheetPancakeBluBalls Sep 09 '26

That's not really a coherent response, but okay.

0

u/Eyevis Sep 09 '26

behold, your average american reading comprehension.

1

u/SheetPancakeBluBalls Sep 09 '26

I would hope you appreciate the irony but I don't think you're capable.

1

u/SheetPancakeBluBalls Sep 09 '26

State edges are imaginary too, are you saying it can't be determined what state anyone is in?

Are you actually this dumb?

2

u/foxymophadlemama Sep 09 '26

Are you actually this dumb?

he's clearly going for it.

3

u/YBBlorekeeper Sep 08 '26

It blew my mind when I found out that the gravitational pull at ISS altitude is still ~0.9g

6

u/FuujinSama Sep 08 '26

Orbit indeed does not mean no gravity, it means you keep falling towards the earth and missing it.

1

u/PortHammer Sep 09 '26

keep falling towards the earth and missing it.

The best way to fly.

1

u/YBBlorekeeper Sep 09 '26

The best way to fly.

– Buzz Lightyear