"now you know - it's not Europe"

[Merle]

Alright, Merle, I'm curious. How far are we from Mars?

Not how far is the orbit of Earth from the orbit of Mars, mind you. How far is the planet Earth from the planet Mars right now?

Without looking anything up? I have no idea. I'm not sure whether it's currently on the near or far side of the Sun.
I didn't say I'd have a good answer. Just a better one.

If it's on the far side of the sun, then I'd guess something on the order of 2.5 to 3 AU.
However, I can confirm that my super-secret spy satellite is...three miles above your house. Currently arming the orbital lance...

[Idolrevolver]

my super-secret spy satellite is...three miles above your house.

Travelling at orbital velocity that close to the surface would result in a gigantic fireball, followed by what was left of the satellite slamming into the ground at supersonic speed. A more plausible altitude would be 150 km or more.

[Merle]

my super-secret spy satellite is...three miles above your house.

Travelling at orbital velocity that close to the surface would result in a gigantic fireball, followed by what was left of the satellite slamming into the ground at supersonic speed. A more plausible altitude would be 150 km or more.

Quiet, you! It could have antigrav. You don't know for sure!

[doctor100]

hey! atro-sciency people, I had a question I was unable to even think about where to start look'n for the answer, because y'know, I know jack about stars and planets and stuff like that. so the question is this, how high up in Jupiter's atmosphere or orbit would you have to be to get a rough approximate of earth like gravity?

Thanks!

[Tropylium]

Jupiter's mass is ~300 times that of Earth, so you'll need to be √300 ≈ 17 Earth radii out from its center. That would be half a dozen radii ≈ 40000 km abov its "surface" (conventionally defined as the point where the atmospheric pressure is 1 Earth atmosphere, which is indeed around where the visible clouds are).

This would be both well outside the atmosphere and much closer than any of the moons.

[doctor100]

so a bubble would need to be low orbit, or would it just burn up like the satalite mentioned above?

[Woock]

hey! atro-sciency people, I had a question I was unable to even think about where to start look'n for the answer, because y'know, I know jack about stars and planets and stuff like that. so the question is this, how high up in Jupiter's atmosphere or orbit would you have to be to get a rough approximate of earth like gravity?

Thanks!

I believe the correct spelling is atrocious

[Idolrevolver]

my super-secret spy satellite is...three miles above your house.

Travelling at orbital velocity that close to the surface would result in a gigantic fireball, followed by what was left of the satellite slamming into the ground at supersonic speed. A more plausible altitude would be 150 km or more.

Quiet, you! It could have antigrav. You don't know for sure!

'Antigrav'(itational tecnology) would do nothing about said satellite burning up due to the immense heat generated by friction with the atmosphere at orbital speed.

so a bubble would need to be low orbit, or would it just burn up like the satalite mentioned above?

In orbit, it would feel weightless. It would need to be suspended at that distance, not moving.

[Tailsteak]

In orbit, it would feel weightless. It would need to be suspended at that distance, not moving.

"Suspended", of course, being the operative word. If it's not in orbit, it'll feel the Gs alright - and it'll fall.

So you'd either need to put it on a very long stick, have permanent engines going underneath it, or make a non-rotating ring that goes all the way around the planet.

[doctor100]

well, one thing I learned from ringworld pop culture is that non-orbiting ringworlds are unstable. And I don't really consider anything that needs a never ending supply of energy to correct itself to be feasible unless you actually have a (near) never ending supply of energy. . .

so what, yr'tellen me it cannot be done? c'mon, I mean you cannot anchor it to the surface of the planet, but it seems like such a waste to have that perfectly good magnetic field go to waste . . .

<Edit PS>
now, if it has to be suspended anyhow, meaning we already have a lot of energy going to keep it afloat, what about a lower orbit, canceling some g's with spin? 'course, i still don't see that being stable