ThIs [BBC](https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-57797297) article states that the passengers experienced weightlessness for 5 minutes – how is this possible? Is it at the descent? They are much too close to the earth to not experience a lack of gravity.
In: Technology
Weightlessness ≠ lack of gravity
Weightlessness is when you and your ship and all the air in your ship are experiencing the same forces, be they gravity or air resistance. In your frame of reference, the ship is moving with you.
The ISS and the Unity both experience the same gravitational forces and have the same weightlessness inside them. The ISS is moving faster, so it can sustain weightlessness for years, but that’s the only difference. The Earth’s gravity extends a long way, that’s what’s keeping the Moon in orbit after all.
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