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That's correct, that particular form of the equation assumes vertical motion. But the simplified model serves its purpose: it provides insight. Thanks again, one and all! You helped me to finally get rid of the pesky mindworm (a la earworm) that I got from Clarke's appendix.

Thanks Ares, your contribution has really helped. It makes perfect sense. Just a couple of fine points to round off the "proof": * The "target" final velocity (V) in Clarke's appendix is the orbital velocity, NOT the escape velocity. (The escape velocity is 1.414 (root 2) times the orbital...

Thank Ares. That's interesting. I didn't consider that possibility (i.e. that it was an exponent, not a product). I wonder whether this is just a typographical error in the original paper? Because the original paper does appear to show a product and not an exponent. Or whether there's some...

Thank you for your responses. Clarke's paper (“Extra-Terrestrial Relays: Can Rocket Stations Give World-Wide Radio Coverage?,” Wireless World, Oct. 1945, pp. 305–308) is reproduced in full on pages 16-22 of the following NASA e-book: http://history.nasa.gov/SP-4407/vol3/cover.pdf The complete...

Dear All, This question relates to the numbers in the appendix of Arthur C. Clarke's 1945 classic paper (Wireless World, Oct. 1945, pp. 305-308). The appendix (on page 308 of the paper) outlines some basic principles of rocket design, including Tsiolkovsky's fundamental equation of rocket...