Planets in the solar system

Hi guys
Can someone tell me a bit more exactly what is the total percentage for the
mass of the planets in our solar system and since I am assuming it's about
1% (or mabye even less???) or just about, how can we use the gravity assist
for satellites if the Sun composes the other 99% of the mass in our solar
system. If i understand this gravity assist concept, then shouldn't the ever
massive Sun alter the voyages of the satellites or is it taken into account
depending on the destinatons of our satellies. Also can someone kind of
expand a bit more about this gravity assist thing for me a bit. Thanks guys.

If i understand this gravity assist concept, then shouldn't the ever
massive Sun alter the voyages of the satellites or is it taken into
account

The gravitational force is proportional to the distance between two
bodies. Closer = stronger/ further = weaker. It falls off fast
(inverse square law) , but it doesn't reach zero.
This is why we stick to the Earth and are not dragged screaming to a
fiery doom in the heart of a fusion reactor ;-)
As a probe approaches another planet/body it gets pulled in, like a
freefall parachutist on Earth.
It picks up kinetic (?) gravitational ? not sure) energy as it
accelerates and keeps that energy as it leaves.
jc



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If i understand this gravity assist concept, then shouldn't the ever
massive Sun alter the voyages of the satellites or is it taken into
account

The gravitational force is proportional to the distance between two
bodies. Closer = stronger/ further = weaker. It falls off fast
(inverse square law) , but it doesn't reach zero.
This is why we stick to the Earth and are not dragged screaming to a
fiery doom in the heart of a fusion reactor ;-)
As a probe approaches another planet/body it gets pulled in, like a
freefall parachutist on Earth.
It picks up kinetic (?) gravitational ? not sure) energy as it
accelerates and keeps that energy as it leaves.
jc



---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.521 / Virus Database: 319 - Release Date: 23/09/2003

The slingshot analogy seems to be widely misunderstood by the general
public. The spacecraft is briefly swept along by the planet and picks up
some of its orbital velocity.

A spacecraft that starts out in orbit around the sun can't get a gravity
assist from it. The gravitational acceleration going in will be exactly
balanced by the decelaration going out.

Try "gravity-assisted orbits" in Google.



"John Carruthers" wrote in message
...
If i understand this gravity assist concept, then shouldn't the ever
massive Sun alter the voyages of the satellites or is it taken into
account

The gravitational force is proportional to the distance between two
bodies. Closer = stronger/ further = weaker. It falls off fast
(inverse square law) , but it doesn't reach zero.
This is why we stick to the Earth and are not dragged screaming to a
fiery doom in the heart of a fusion reactor ;-)
As a probe approaches another planet/body it gets pulled in, like a
freefall parachutist on Earth.
It picks up kinetic (?) gravitational ? not sure) energy as it
accelerates and keeps that energy as it leaves.
jc



---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.521 / Virus Database: 319 - Release Date: 23/09/2003

The slingshot analogy seems to be widely misunderstood by the general
public. The spacecraft is briefly swept along by the planet and picks up
some of its orbital velocity.

A spacecraft that starts out in orbit around the sun can't get a gravity
assist from it. The gravitational acceleration going in will be exactly
balanced by the decelaration going out.

Try "gravity-assisted orbits" in Google.



"John Carruthers" wrote in message
...
If i understand this gravity assist concept, then shouldn't the ever
massive Sun alter the voyages of the satellites or is it taken into
account

The gravitational force is proportional to the distance between two
bodies. Closer = stronger/ further = weaker. It falls off fast
(inverse square law) , but it doesn't reach zero.
This is why we stick to the Earth and are not dragged screaming to a
fiery doom in the heart of a fusion reactor ;-)
As a probe approaches another planet/body it gets pulled in, like a
freefall parachutist on Earth.
It picks up kinetic (?) gravitational ? not sure) energy as it
accelerates and keeps that energy as it leaves.
jc



---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.521 / Virus Database: 319 - Release Date: 23/09/2003

The slingshot analogy seems to be
widely misunderstood by the general
public. The spacecraft is briefly swept
along by the planet and picks up some of its orbital velocity.

The slingshot analogy seems to be
widely misunderstood by the general
public. The spacecraft is briefly swept
along by the planet and picks up some of its orbital velocity.

RATs!! Hit the 'Send' button by mistake.

The slingshot analogy seems to be
widely misunderstood by the general
public. The spacecraft is briefly swept
along by the planet and picks up some of its orbital velocity.

There is another aspect to the 'slingshot' boost as well. Per unit of
distance traveled, less time is spent in the outbound leg than in the
inbound leg. oc

RATs!! Hit the 'Send' button by mistake.

The slingshot analogy seems to be
widely misunderstood by the general
public. The spacecraft is briefly swept
along by the planet and picks up some of its orbital velocity.

There is another aspect to the 'slingshot' boost as well. Per unit of
distance traveled, less time is spent in the outbound leg than in the
inbound leg. oc

"Zarkovic" wrote in message
news:U8udb.25634$O85.16491@pd7tw1no...
Hi guys
Can someone tell me a bit more exactly what is the total percentage for
the
mass of the planets in our solar system and since I am assuming it's about
1% (or mabye even less???) or just about, how can we use the gravity
assist
for satellites if the Sun composes the other 99% of the mass in our solar
system. If i understand this gravity assist concept, then shouldn't the
ever
massive Sun alter the voyages of the satellites or is it taken into
account
depending on the destinatons of our satellies. Also can someone kind of
expand a bit more about this gravity assist thing for me a bit. Thanks
guys.


To help you understand gravity assists, try visiting JPL's Basics of Space
Flight, chapter 4: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/basics/bsf4-1.html . It's got a
fairly easy to understand explanation of the concept, assuming you're
familiar with some basics of vector algebra.

Hope that helps a bit, cheers!

--
The butler did it.