Muzzle Velocity <S02>

[FRC1276]

Muzzle Velocity - No ROBOT may throw a ball with an exit velocity of greater than 12 m/s (26.8 mph). As a reference, a ball traveling at this velocity when leaving the ROBOT at an angle of 30º from horizontal with no spin will travel approximately 35 feet. A robot that violates this rule will be considered unsafe per <S01>.

When is a ball considered to have been "thrown"? For example, if a ball was to be moved throw a pitching machine-esque launcher, down a track, and then leaves the track to become airborne, would it be legal for the ball to be excedeing 12 m/s when it is moving down the track, providing it has slowed to below 12 m/s by the time it exits the track?

[GDC]

"Exit velocity" means the velocity of the ball immediately after its final contact with the robot.