Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

To: dr_lew
Leave it to a cook to point this out, and I should have known it, being a zoomie.... it's not a circular orbit.

So all bets are off.

BTW, I find your math correct to an order of magnitude for a cirular orbit.

/johnny

70 posted on 06/04/2012 8:20:35 PM PDT by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 69 | View Replies ]


To: JRandomFreeper

Circular. I am also chasing a bit of FOD around the keyboard.


71 posted on 06/04/2012 8:22:46 PM PDT by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 70 | View Replies ]

To: JRandomFreeper

The 1.08 ratio will apply to the semimajor axis of an elliptical orbit, which has to have pretty low eccentricity to stay clear of the atmosphere. For low eccentricity, the shape of the orbit is very nearly a circle with its center displaced from the center of the earth by 1/2 r*e ( r*e is the distance between the foci of the true elliptical shape. ) This means that the length of the orbit is very nearly that of a circular orbit, as calculated, and the calculated speed will be very nearly the average orbital speed.


73 posted on 06/04/2012 8:30:36 PM PDT by dr_lew
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 70 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson