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mujadeo
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Homework Statement
Early in the space program a jet aircraft was used to simulate "weightless" space flight. Beginning from a comfortable cruising altitude, assume such a craft could reach a speed of v = 590 m/s at an angle q = 30.9° above the horizontal. Subsequently the engines were used only to overcome air friction, and the plane followed a "free fall" path.
How long could "weightlessness" experiments be done before the plane fell back to its original altitude?
Homework Equations
I do not understand what the problem is asking me. I understand what free fall is and how it relates to orbit and "weighlessness" but I 'm not getting what they are asking.
I mean how does the angle play into orbit, if I don't know the original alititude??
Please someone help, --i just need question reasked in a different way ??
thanks for any help!