It should be mathematical.
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We've known for millennia the circumference of the Earth. The tough one was working out the gravitational constant, which had been tested substantially for about 100 years on Earth before we attempted space flight. As long as the lateral velocity is such that the object in orbit is falling to Earth at the same rate the Earth is curving away from the object, orbit is stable.
[Post edited by Hokie CPA at 05/31/2020 10:13AM]
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In response to this post by PhotoHokieNC)
Posted: 05/31/2020 at 10:11AM
Commentators just made a good point. It looks like they are just floating -- 133743Hokie 05/31/2020 09:46AM
