[Finny]

RE jettisoning cargo to reduce weight ...

1. In Apollo 13, cargo wasn't jettisoned into space, it was put into the lunar module, which was left behind.

2. Jettisoning it into space, if they had the ability, would just leave stuff drifting dangerously around in the same orbit.

[mcsparkie]

Jettisoning it into space, if they had the ability, would just leave stuff drifting dangerously around in the same orbit.

It is standard procedure when separating from a booster or vehicle, to immediately start an orbit change process to get to a safe distance from the stuff you wish to leave behind. Otherwise it just smacks back into you one orbit later.