On May 13, 1:33*pm, Dave Typinski wrote:

Third, using your new big G number, calculate the Earth mass required
to produce the measured orbit altitude and period.

And then you compare it with a known value for Earth's mass,
determined by core samples of the Earth's crust, mantle, and core? I
didn't think we had the latter two yet.

Actually, though, you _are_ right that the reasoning is not circular,
but not for the reasons you've outlined.

Think of satellites in polar orbit.

John Savard