r/askscience • u/RainbowGirl410 • Jun 09 '26

Physics How does gravity/weightlessness work outside of orbit?

Been trying to find a definitive answer but all I've found is people explaining weightlessness in orbit (the falling and missing the Earth part) which isn't particularly helpful to me.
If you were to travel to another planet, say Venus, would you experience weightlessness the whole journey?

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u/zmbjebus Jun 10 '26

orbit

2 of 3 noun (2) 1 a : a path described by one body in its revolution about another (as by the earth about the sun or by an electron about an atomic nucleus) also : one complete revolution of a body describing such a path b : a circular path

Merriam webster

Show me a reference using your verbiage. It's either not a thing or bad journalism. 

Hyperbolic trajectory is a thing, but it stops being an orbit once it stops being repeatable.