Effect of a gravity assist on person, or whatever, in spaceship (sopuli.xyz)

submitted 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) by sin_free_for_00_days@sopuli.xyz to c/asklemmy@lemmy.world

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OK, this is dumb, but it's gone through my head a couple times. I've seen a few science fiction movies and shows where the people in the spaceship use a gravity assist and lean into the turns like they're driving NASCAR or riding a roller coaster.

I think they wouldn't feel the acceleration (vector change) because gravity is doing the acceleration on every molecule and there would be nothing to lean against. I'm often wrong though. Someone smarter than I am have some insight?

EDIT: For what it's worth, I guess I shouldn't have used the Expanse clip as it upset some people. I just used it for an example of what I was asking. The question is this: Under little or no thrusters, would you feel a gravity assist? Even a radical one that changes your direction 90 degrees and greatly increases your velocity?

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[-] name_NULL111653@pawb.social 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Only one problem - the relative velocity of the ship is the same. Yes, the ship's vector got changed, but yours did too. Same reason you don't feel centripetal force in orbit, despite the constant vector change at 9.8m/s^2...

this post was submitted on 02 Oct 2023

50 points (90.3% liked)

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