The first major failure of Blue Origin's new heavy-launch system could create delays to its ambition to help NASA and the Trump administration return to the moon.
Calling it “wrong orbit” is misleading (albeit in a hilarious way). They failed to reach the target altitude/velocity and released the satellite into a useless orbit. It’s the same as dropping a package into a ditch and calling it “delivered to the wrong location”. Technically correct but not really what it means.
The point is, it wasn’t purposefully delivered there. Delivered to the wrong address imply some kind of intent, though a mistake. This is more “the driver got in an accident and the package ended up in the wrong place.” There isn’t an intent to where it was delivered. That’s just where it ended up, because the rocket had a failure. It didn’t make a mistake. It broke.
You need to have a non-intersecting loop around Earth to be in orbit. Anything you throw that doesn’t apply some kind of additional thrust won’t be in orbit, as its path will necessarily intersect Earth.
A sub-orbital spaceflight is a spaceflight in which the vehicle reaches outer space, but its trajectory intersects the surface of the gravitating body from which it was launched. Hence, it will not complete one orbital revolution, will not become an artificial satellite nor will it reach escape velocity.
Calling it “wrong orbit” is misleading (albeit in a hilarious way). They failed to reach the target altitude/velocity and released the satellite into a useless orbit. It’s the same as dropping a package into a ditch and calling it “delivered to the wrong location”. Technically correct but not really what it means.
Useless orbit, wrong orbit, 6 of one, half o’ dozen of the other.
The point is, it wasn’t purposefully delivered there. Delivered to the wrong address imply some kind of intent, though a mistake. This is more “the driver got in an accident and the package ended up in the wrong place.” There isn’t an intent to where it was delivered. That’s just where it ended up, because the rocket had a failure. It didn’t make a mistake. It broke.
That’s a fair distinction upon further reflection. Thanks.
So … like an Amazon delivery?
So it’s in an orbit, but not the correct one?
Yes in an orbit the same way anything in free fall is in orbit. Throw a pebble and it will orbit Earth for a couple of seconds max.
You need to have a non-intersecting loop around Earth to be in orbit. Anything you throw that doesn’t apply some kind of additional thrust won’t be in orbit, as its path will necessarily intersect Earth.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sub-orbital_spaceflight