Thread: What was that story?

It came to mind a few weeks ago and a number of times since then but I still can't remember.

I read a sci-fi story - long time ago, and all I remember is this scene.
There are two astronauts, one is the cop and the other is the criminal he pursues. They are on an asteroid (significant but low gravity - no atmosphere), at one pole where there is a huge, parabolic(?) depression with a frictionless (or almost frictionless) surface.
They have fallen into this and are connected to each other by a length of rope. Their problem is how to get out of it.

Does anyone know this story?

Originally Posted by TaoZero5

It came to mind a few weeks ago and a number of times since then but I still can't remember.

I read a sci-fi story - long time ago, and all I remember is this scene.
There are two astronauts, one is the cop and the other is the criminal he pursues. They are on an asteroid (significant but low gravity - no atmosphere), at one pole where there is a huge, parabolic(?) depression with a frictionless (or almost frictionless) surface.
They have fallen into this and are connected to each other by a length of rope. Their problem is how to get out of it.

Does anyone know this story?

I don't know the story, but if the depression is only near-frictionless, they should be able to escape by see-sawing back and forth across the center until they've gained enough momentum to carry them over the lip. If it's frictionless and they're able to vent air from their suit bottles, they could do so in opposite directions, spooling up like a merry-go-round until the rope becomes taught and their momentum is sufficient that when they cut the rope they both careen over the lip.