Gravity and Ballistics, Marine Style

[Loophole LaRue, SASS #51438]

Lt. Gen. McKenzie of the USMC, explaining why it was a bad idea for Syria to randomly fire approximately 40 unguided surface-to-air missiles, largely after our cruise missiles struck their chemical weapons targets in Damascus:

 

" When you shoot iron up into the air, without guidance, it is bound to come down somewhere."

 

Yup.

 

LL

[Subdeacon Joe]

4 minutes ago, Loophole LaRue, SASS #51438 said:

" When you shoot iron up into the air, without guidance, it is bound to come down somewhere."

 

 

Unless, of course, there is sufficient velocity to overcome gravity, air friction, and some other factors and achieve orbit.

[Loophole LaRue, SASS #51438]

8 minutes ago, Subdeacon Joe said:

 

 

Unless, of course, there is sufficient velocity to overcome gravity, air friction, and some other factors and achieve orbit.

 

I'm no rocket scientist, but isn't orbit without guidance STILL likely to result a bunch of iron coming down somewhere?  

 

LL

[Sparky Nelson]

19 minutes ago, Loophole LaRue, SASS #51438 said:

" When you shoot iron up into the air, without guidance, it is bound to come down somewhere."

 

Even with guidance they'll come back down sooner or later. Those rocket motors don't carry that much fuel.

 

I'm still trying to wrap my head around "unguided surface-to-air missile." I can't see that being very effective against anything faster than an airship. I guess maybe that's why they launched a swarm.

 

Still, I keep picturing somebody lighting off a handful of bottle rockets.

[Pat Riot]

Launching 40 unguided surface to air missiles = Chinese Fire Drill of Stupidity...

[Subdeacon Joe]

51 minutes ago, Sparky Nelson said:

I'm still trying to wrap my head around "unguided surface-to-air missile." I can't see that being very effective against anything faster than an airship. I guess maybe that's why they launched a swarm.

 

 

51 minutes ago, Sparky Nelson said:

Still, I keep picturing somebody lighting off a handful of bottle rockets.

 

 

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

1 hour ago, Loophole LaRue, SASS #51438 said:

 

I'm no rocket scientist, but isn't orbit without guidance STILL likely to result a bunch of iron coming down somewhere?  

 

LL

Yeah, need escape velocity. Even then it might come down somewhere, somewhen.

[Cheyenne Ranger, 48747L]

think that would be like all those folks that fire off guns in sky on New Year's Eve

 

what goes up must come down

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

4 hours ago, Cheyenne Ranger, 48747L said:

think that would be like all those folks that fire off guns in sky on New Year's Eve

 

what goes up must come down

Right next to my chimney 12-31-1985.  Never did find out who shot 'em off.