I love this film. It's spectacular, especially in IMAX 3D. But something about
it just bothers me.

If I understand 'orbital mechanics' at all (and gravity), then for a given orbit
above the Earth, objects go at a certain speed or velocity.

If the objects travelled faster, they would be in a different orbit.

If that's true, then one of the main 'set pieces' of the film-- the orbiting
space station being destroyed by fast-moving debris hitting it-- seems
unnatural. Wouldn't that debris naturally be in some different orbit, because of
its different speed? (Unless the debris was from an explosion-- blasting out in
all directions from some particular orbit.) I don't remember if such an
explosion was the cause.

Post a reply to this message