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Next: Orbital Speed Up: The Universal Law of Gravitation Previous: Weighing the Earth

Orbital Mechanics

Let's pretend for now that all orbits are simple circles. In that case we can easily calculate the orbital radius  r  at which the centripetal force of gravitational attraction  F  is just right to produce the centripetal acceleration  a  required to maintain a steady circular orbit at a given speed  v. For starters we will refer to a light object (like a communication satellite) in orbit about the Earth.



 

Jess H. Brewer
1998-10-08