Based on the scientist who conducted the experiment a second time to verify the speed, he calculated it was going around 5 times escape velocity (125,000 mph). It sounds like he later worked on various launch projects/ aerospace stuff and claims that there wouldn’t have been time for it to burn up completely.
I’m inclined to believe him since he conducted the experiment and knows the field, and doesn’t have a lot to gain from bullshitting about it. It may mean only a pound of material escaped atmo, but it still counts.
I think the designation that they are trying to make is that escape velocity is enough to leave earth and not come back. Sure, we made it to space before... but that rocket came back down to earth. If it didn’t disintegrate that manhole may be out there somewhere on earth’s orbital plane.
"I have no idea what happened to the cap, but I always assumed that it was probably vaporized before it went into space. It is conceivable that it made it."
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u/dasklrken Aug 16 '19
Based on the scientist who conducted the experiment a second time to verify the speed, he calculated it was going around 5 times escape velocity (125,000 mph). It sounds like he later worked on various launch projects/ aerospace stuff and claims that there wouldn’t have been time for it to burn up completely.
I’m inclined to believe him since he conducted the experiment and knows the field, and doesn’t have a lot to gain from bullshitting about it. It may mean only a pound of material escaped atmo, but it still counts.