some help (1 Viewer)

[Rahul]

can i have some much needed help on these:

1. calculate the avg altitude of satllite in geostationary orbit and identify the difference between 'geostationary' and 'geosynchronous' satellites

2. matematically analyse, using diagrams, rocket burning interms of momentum conservatoin and the rate of fuel consumption 'R' and derive the acceleration for a rocket during its launch stage.

3. given the distance to planets and some near stars and the speed of space probes(find this out), calculate the times for space probes to travel to these planets. deduce that the current max velocity for space probes is too slow for extended space travel to be viable. any alternatives???

and lastly....
4. . a cannon is used to launch satellites. assuming that a cannon would give a satellite a largely sufficent velocity, explain why using the cannon would not work.

i have some points on these...but they are very iffy, so i would appreciate it if i could get some good info.

thanks in advance.

rahul

 

[kini mini]

Originally posted by Rahul
can i have some much needed help on these:

1. calculate the avg altitude of satllite in geostationary orbit and identify the difference between 'geostationary' and 'geosynchronous' satellites

You can do it yourself from Kepler's equations. All you need to know is that a satellite in geostationary orbit has the same period as the Earth. Remember to subtract the Earth's radius!

"geostationary" - 24 hour period, orbits above equator and so remains at same place in sky

"geosynchronous" - 24 hour period, doesn't orbit above equator, traces figures of 8 in the sky

2. matematically analyse, using diagrams, rocket burning interms of momentum conservatoin and the rate of fuel consumption 'R' and derive the acceleration for a rocket during its launch stage.

Look in your textbook and on CSU, or better have a go yourself using the equations...it's not hard and well worth doing.

3. Alternatives - inventing warp drive/hyperdrive, or not going . Seriously, you should talk about ion drives and solar sails, you can find info online and in Jacaranda for instance.


4. Some intrepid inventor is actually developing such a device, so I would be careful about saying that it wouldn't work. I read about it in New Scientist over a year ago, I don't know how he or she is going.

Basically, the acceleration in the cannon causes such immense forces to be applied that the payload must be very tough. This reinforcement would consume most of the available mass and leave little for scientific instruments etc, making the proposition unviable for most roles.

 

[Rahul]

for the 4th one....

how abt that when the cannon is fired, it will take a elliptic path, with its focus within the earth, so it would always crash back to earth.

 

[Rahul]

i take back my last statement....the question states that the satellite would be launched into a circular path, so the focus of an elliptic path would have no bearing.