<p>Sorry for three questions in the three paragraphs below, but they all are around the same curiosity that I have.</p>
<p>In both of Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin's space flights happening in July 2021, it seems that the weightlessness part felt by the passengers is due to more or less vertical freefall (as is felt in skydiving). Is there anything different from usual skydiving in terms of the experience apart from the view and no wind hitting your face?</p>
<p>At any point in their flight, can they be said to be orbiting the earth, in the sense ISS or satellites do?</p>
<p>It is evident that they both have some tangential component of velocity, but it doesn't look at all of the magnitude that can put them in orbit temporarily. And I think to even attempt something like this will be a different ballgame because of the energy requirement. Am I right in this understanding? Lastly, is that the reason I don't see any heat shields?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-07-19T06:31:21.970Z
When above (nearly all of) the atmosphere all trajectories bound to Earth are elliptical, arguably including circles and straight-down. However folks have chosen to call those that will not complete one orbit without hitting the atmosphere hard and reentering as "suborbital" because they can not actually complete at least one full real orbit. So yes you've got the freefall stuff correct, and no those elliptical trajectories are *not generally* called orbits.
uhoh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-07-19T07:11:00.680Z
Thanks. FYI, I moved it to Physics as it was closed here.
manisar
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-07-19T07:15:29.240Z
Actually making a second copy of your question and [posting it on a second site](https://physics.stackexchange.com/q/652162) is called "cross-posting" and that's generally discouraged. It's not very bad in this case because there are no answers here yet, but I'll cross-post my comment there as well. The idea is that there should be only one copy of a question network-wide. [Question migration]() is the right solution, and next time you can flag for post for moderator assistance and they may migrate your question to the new site.
uhoh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-07-19T07:16:14.673Z
See [What is migration and how does it work?](https://meta.stackexchange.com/q/102497982) (found in the main meta [FAQ](https://meta.stackexchange.com/q/7931))
uhoh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-07-19T07:20:48.713Z
Thanks again, I’ll look at the link. Yeah I messed up here. Will be careful in future.
manisar
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-07-19T07:24:15.183Z
No you didn't mess up at all. Stack Exchange doesn't require you to know anything about it before it lets you start posting. In most SE communities/sites people will just let you know as you go.
uhoh
<orbital-mechanics><newtonian-gravity>
Virgin Galactic's and Blue Origin's Space Flights - are these just Extended Skydiving in an Enclosure?
manisar
# Virgin Galactic's and Blue Origin's Space Flights - are these just Extended Skydiving in an Enclosure?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-07-19)

Sorry for three questions in the three paragraphs below, but they all are around the same curiosity that I have.

In both of Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin's space flights happening in July 2021, it seems that the weightlessness part felt by the passengers is due to more or less vertical freefall (as is felt in skydiving). Is there anything different from usual skydiving in terms of the experience apart from the view and no wind hitting your face?

At any point in their flight, can they be said to be orbiting the earth, in the sense ISS or satellites do?

It is evident that they both have some tangential component of velocity, but it doesn't look at all of the magnitude that can put them in orbit temporarily. And I think to even attempt something like this will be a different ballgame because of the energy requirement. Am I right in this understanding? Lastly, is that the reason I don't see any heat shields?

**Tags:** orbital-mechanics, newtonian-gravity

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: When above (nearly all of) the atmosphere all trajectories bound to Earth are elliptical, arguably including circles and straight-down. However folks have chosen to call those that will not complete one orbit without hitting the atmosphere hard and reentering as "suborbital" because they can not actually complete at least one full real orbit. So yes you've got the freefall stuff correct, and no those elliptical trajectories are *not generally* called orbits.  
> **username_0**: Thanks. FYI, I moved it to Physics as it was closed here.  
> **username_1**: Actually making a second copy of your question and [posting it on a second site](https://physics.stackexchange.com/q/652162) is called "cross-posting" and that's generally discouraged. It's not very bad in this case because there are no answers here yet, but I'll cross-post my comment there as well. The idea is that there should be only one copy of a question network-wide. [Question migration]() is the right solution, and next time you can flag for post for moderator assistance and they may migrate your question to the new site.  
> **username_1**: See [What is migration and how does it work?](https://meta.stackexchange.com/q/102497982) (found in the main meta [FAQ](https://meta.stackexchange.com/q/7931))  
> **username_0**: Thanks again, I’ll look at the link. Yeah I messed up here. Will be careful in future.  
> **username_1**: No you didn't mess up at all. Stack Exchange doesn't require you to know anything about it before it lets you start posting. In most SE communities/sites people will just let you know as you go.  

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