|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Is the moon leaving, or are we shrinking by 38 mm/year
So again, how much kinetic energy, and/or in terms of thrust (ISP
or kg/s in terms of fuel/energy consumption), would it take for a satellite the size and mass of our moon, to be accelerated so as to escape Earth by a rate of 38 mm/year? Thanks so much for all the feedback. I'll try a little more input into my three remaining brain cells and see if the amount of recession energy can be realized. The amount of energy needed to raise the moon's orbit by that 3.8cm/year is easy.. Just plug into basic orbital mechanics, out pops an answer of some 1.25 * 10^20 joules per year, easier to visualise as a constant power input of some 4 terawatt (4 * 10^12 watt) The problem is that this is indeed the *resultant* of all forces applicable. Just how big are the other forces working on the moon,like frictional drag against the not-quite-empty vacuum of local space.(keep in mind the moon orbits earth at about 1km/sec, and the earth whizzes around the sun at about 30km/sec)? |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Sedna, space probes?, colonies? what's next? | TKalbfus | Policy | 265 | July 13th 04 12:00 AM |
NEWS: The allure of an outpost on the Moon | Kent Betts | Space Shuttle | 2 | January 15th 04 01:56 AM |
Is the moon leaving, or are we shrinking by 38 mm/year | OM | History | 11 | December 15th 03 08:38 PM |
The Apollo Hoax FAQ | Nathan Jones | Astronomy Misc | 5 | November 7th 03 09:53 PM |
The Apollo Hoax FAQ v4 | Nathan Jones | Astronomy Misc | 1 | November 5th 03 12:52 AM |