Questions tagged [trajectory]
Questions regarding the path that a spacecraft will take due to forces acting on the spacecraft, such as gravitational or radiation from the sun.
301 questions
2votes
1answer
92views
Lambert's problem without collisions
Given two fixed positions in space, a source of gravity and a time of flight to travel, the theory about Lambert's problem provides a way to calculate corresponding Keplerian orbital transfers. But, ...
- 173
3votes
3answers
228views
How to estimate the orbital height from the time it takes a satellite to cross the sky?
Let's say it takes 5 minutes for the little "star" I observe at night to cross the sky from horizon to horizon. If one assumes a circular orbit and that the object in question is indeed in ...
7votes
2answers
895views
What is the relationship between delta v and the time taken to reach a destination?
I understand that higher energy trajectories are able to reach destinations in a more timely manner but what is the relationship is it linear or exponential or slower than linear in the delta v cost ...
- 2,151
-3votes
4answers
257views
Why do rockets keep going up instead of down or right or left into space? [closed]
Why can't the rockets go down or left or right to get to space if the earth is in the shape of a sphere?
9votes
2answers
1kviews
How can I visualize the movement of a solar sail?
I am a physics teacher in an elementary school. Together with a student we started to investigate the motion of a solar sail. It shall be of 81 m² in size and 16 kg in mass around the sun at a ...
3votes
0answers
80views
GMAT ForceModel generated a derivative that is not a number
I'm simulating the orbit of an object multiple times and it works perfectly most of the time, but sometimes this error appears and I don't know how to fix it. ...
- 31
3votes
0answers
98views
Trajectory of Launch
Where online are the anticipated trajectory of rocket launches shown prior to launches from Florida? This will allow ability to find launches in flight.
8votes
1answer
687views
How does NASA calculate trajectory at planetary atmosphere entry
NASA lands missions such as the Perseverance Mars Rover land at specific spots. I understand they can de-orbit to those spots to explore them, but the aerodynamic drag from the atmospheric re-entry ...
- 2,493
5votes
1answer
77views
Most likely trajectory of the Gravity Probe A spacecraft, and location of the microwave maser receiver on Earth?
Background/motivation @PM2Ring's comment under an answer to "Is there a wavelength shift between sunlight observed from the ISS versus from Earth's surface?" in Physics SE links to the ...
- 153k
4votes
3answers
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How exactly would nuclear thermal or nuclear electric propulsion enable short duration human missions to Mars?
Today (May 1, 2024) NASA Administrator Bill Nelson testified before the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee that nuclear thermal propulsion would enable us to go faster to Mars. He said: ...
- 9,353
10votes
1answer
231views
Do the second stages for Starlink launches from Florida do a deorbit burn over Texas?
This article about "strange red glows over Texas" claims that for Starlink launches from Florida, the second stages do a deorbit burn over Texas resulting in a South Atlantic Ocean impact. ...
- 194k
2votes
1answer
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Radial hyperbolic trajectories
Wikipedia informs me that In astrodynamics and celestial mechanics a radial trajectory is a Kepler orbit with zero angular momentum. Two objects in a radial trajectory move directly towards or away ...
- 8,228
6votes
2answers
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How do modern space capsules ascertain their position during the communication blackout phase of reentry?
In this video recording of Orion's reentry, you can hear and see the RCS thrusters firing during the communication blackout phase. During the communication blackout, I would assume that GPS would not ...
- 9,353
2votes
0answers
227views
Calculating trajectory of Voyager 1 Python
I want to calculate the trajectory of the voyager 1 probe using python and Kepler equation. I know there are already various program to calculate it but I need to do it on my own via these ...
- 21
0votes
0answers
95views
How well can we predict asteroid impact location?
concern in December 2004 when initial observations indicated a probability up to 2.7% that it would hit Earth on April 13, 2029 - wikipedia on 99942 Apophis So we can predict that something might hit ...
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