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Re:Virgin Galactic successfully reaches space by CydeWeys on Thursday December 13, 2018 @02:42PM (#18675329)
You can't truly experience freefall except in a vacuum or in an object that is producing an accelerating force to counteract the force of air resistance (like a really fast elevator, or a vomit comet plane).

The reason is that the air itself is imparting substantial acceleration upon you from you hitting it, which leads to terminal velocity. Once you reach terminal velocity the air pressure is imparting exactly the same kind of force against you to repel gravity as the floor would be at ground level, so you experience one full g. You only really feel weightless the moment you jump off a surface, before you've accumulated any velocity and thus before you're being accelerated by air resistance.

Re:Virgin Galactic successfully reaches space by mirimir on Thursday December 13, 2018 @09:24PM (#18677940)
> Once you reach terminal velocity the air pressure is imparting exactly the same kind of force against you to repel gravity as the floor would be at ground level, so you experience one full g.

And what's interesting, is that what feels "down" is actually "up". Which is one of the gotchas in flying.

> You only really feel weightless the moment you jump off a surface, before you've accumulated any velocity and thus before you're being accelerated by air resistance.

This is a very useful thing in ice skating, skiing, martial arts, etc. Especially combined with changing moment of inertia.