To the "star wars laser specialist".

You wrote:

"The detectors on the ground measured a return from the space objects. The delay time was in agreement with the usual speed of light. The detectors on the ground did not measure a return when there was no reflection from the space object. The laser light did not fall to the earth. From this result I deduced that my flashlight also did not fall to the earth."

So, you are saying that if you wait long enough, laser light being shot vertically should sooner or later return back to Earth IF LIGHT INDEED WOULD FALL DOWN in the gravitational field. And because it did not, there is no such thing as light falling down in gravitational field.

There is an important exeption from the rule "what comes up should come down": when the object speed is more than the escape velocity.

Did you compare the escape velocity near Earth which is V=sqrt(2gR)= 11.2 km/sec with the speed of light you shot up (which is c=3x10^5 km/sec)? You may see that the light speed is way way higher than the escape velocity. This means that the beam you sent up will never "come down" regardless how long you are willing to wait.

• Re: May be you were not involved at all? - yanniru - February 17, 2001 - 20:16 UTC