Transfer orbit Mars orbit Arrival at Mars Sun Launch from the Earth Earth orbit

Glencoe Physics: Principles and Problems, Student Edition
1st Edition
ISBN:9780078807213
Author:Paul W. Zitzewitz
Publisher:Paul W. Zitzewitz
Chapter7: Gravitation
Section: Chapter Questions
Problem 101A
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A minimum-energy transfer orbit to an outer planet consists of putting a spacecraft on an elliptical trajectory with the departure planet corresponding to the perihelion of the ellipse, or the closest point to the Sun, and the arrival planet at the aphelion, or the farthest point from the Sun. (Assume the orbital radius of the Earth is 1.50  1011 m, and the orbital radius of Mars is 2.28  1011 m.)

 
(a) Use Kepler's third law to calculate how long it would take to go from Earth to Mars on such an orbit as shown in the figure above.
 yr

(b) Can such an orbit be undertaken at any time?
Yes  or No    

Explain.
Transfer orbit
Mars orbit
Arrival at
Mars
Sun
Launch from
the Earth
Earth orbit
Transcribed Image Text:Transfer orbit Mars orbit Arrival at Mars Sun Launch from the Earth Earth orbit
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