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Orbit Equation
In astrodynamics, an orbit equation defines the path of orbiting body m_2\,\! around central body m_1\,\! relative to m_1\,\!, without specifying position as a function of time. Under standard assumptions, a body moving under the influence of a force, directed to a central body, with a magnitude inversely proportional to the square of the distance (such as gravity), has an orbit that is a conic section (i.e. circular orbit, elliptic orbit, parabolic trajectory, hyperbolic trajectory, or radial trajectory) with the central body located at one of the two foci, or ''the'' focus ( Kepler's first law). If the conic section intersects the central body, then the actual trajectory can only be the part above the surface, but for that part the orbit equation and many related formulas still apply, as long as it is a freefall (situation of weightlessness). Central, inverse-square law force Consider a two-body system consisting of a central body of mass ''M'' and a much smaller, orbiti ...
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Astrodynamics
Orbital mechanics or astrodynamics is the application of ballistics and celestial mechanics to rockets, satellites, and other spacecraft. The motion of these objects is usually calculated from Newton's laws of motion and the Newton's law of universal gravitation, law of universal gravitation. Astrodynamics is a core discipline within space exploration, space-mission design and control. Celestial mechanics treats more broadly the orbital dynamics of systems under the influence of gravity, including both spacecraft and natural astronomical object, astronomical bodies such as star systems, planets, Natural satellite, moons, and comets. Orbital mechanics focuses on spacecraft trajectory, trajectories, including orbital maneuvers, orbital plane (astronomy), orbital plane changes, and interplanetary transfers, and is used by mission planners to predict the results of spacecraft propulsion, propulsive maneuvers. General relativity is a more exact theory than Newton's laws for calculati ...
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Gravitation
In physics, gravity (), also known as gravitation or a gravitational interaction, is a fundamental interaction, a mutual attraction between all massive particles. On Earth, gravity takes a slightly different meaning: the observed force between objects and the Earth. This force is dominated by the combined gravitational interactions of particles but also includes effect of the Earth's rotation. Gravity gives weight to physical objects and is essential to understanding the mechanisms responsible for surface water waves and lunar tides. Gravity also has many important biological functions, helping to guide the growth of plants through the process of gravitropism and influencing the circulation of fluids in multicellular organisms. The gravitational attraction between primordial hydrogen and clumps of dark matter in the early universe caused the hydrogen gas to coalesce, eventually condensing and fusing to form stars. At larger scales this results in galaxies and clusters ...
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Specific Orbital Energy
In the gravitational two-body problem, the specific orbital energy \varepsilon (or specific ''vis-viva'' energy) of two orbiting bodies is the constant quotient of their mechanical energy (the sum of their mutual potential energy, \varepsilon_p, and their kinetic energy, \varepsilon_k) to their reduced mass. According to the orbital energy conservation equation (also referred to as ''vis-viva'' equation), it does not vary with time: \begin \varepsilon &= \varepsilon_k + \varepsilon_p \\ &= \frac - \frac = -\frac \frac \left(1 - e^2\right) = -\frac \end where *v is the relative orbital speed; *r is the orbital distance between the bodies; *\mu = (m_1 + m_2) is the sum of the standard gravitational parameters of the bodies; *h is the specific relative angular momentum in the sense of relative angular momentum divided by the reduced mass; *e is the orbital eccentricity; *a is the semi-major axis. It is a kind of specific energy, t ...
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Periapsis Distance
An apsis (; ) is the farthest or nearest point in the orbit of a planetary body about its primary body. The line of apsides (also called apse line, or major axis of the orbit) is the line connecting the two extreme values. Apsides pertaining to orbits around different bodies have distinct names to differentiate themselves from other apsides. Apsides pertaining to geocentric orbits, orbits around the Earth, are at the farthest point called the ''apogee'', and at the nearest point the ''perigee'', like with orbits of satellites and the Moon around Earth. Apsides pertaining to orbits around the Sun are named ''aphelion'' for the farthest and ''perihelion'' for the nearest point in a heliocentric orbit. Earth's two apsides are the farthest point, ''aphelion'', and the nearest point, ''perihelion'', of its orbit around the host Sun. The terms ''aphelion'' and ''perihelion'' apply in the same way to the orbits of Jupiter and the other planets, the comets, and the asteroids of t ...
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Atmospheric Reentry
Atmospheric entry (sometimes listed as Vimpact or Ventry) is the movement of an object from outer space into and through the gases of an atmosphere of a planet, dwarf planet, or natural satellite. Atmospheric entry may be ''uncontrolled entry,'' as in the entry of astronomical objects, space debris, or bolides. It may be ''controlled entry'' (or ''reentry'') of a spacecraft that can be navigated or follow a predetermined course. Methods for controlled atmospheric ''entry, descent, and landing'' of spacecraft are collectively termed as ''EDL''. Objects entering an atmosphere experience Drag (physics), atmospheric drag, which puts mechanical stress on the object, and aerodynamic heating—caused mostly by compression of the air in front of the object, but also by drag. These forces can cause loss of mass (ablation) or even complete disintegration of smaller objects, and objects with lower compressive strength can explode. Objects have reentered with speeds ranging from 7.8&n ...
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Hyperbolic Orbit
In astrodynamics or celestial mechanics, a hyperbolic trajectory or hyperbolic orbit is the trajectory of any object around a central body with more than enough speed to escape the central object's gravitational pull. The name derives from the fact that according to Newtonian theory such an orbit has the shape of a hyperbola. In more technical terms this can be expressed by the condition that the orbital eccentricity is greater than one. Under simplistic assumptions a body traveling along this trajectory will coast towards infinity, settling to a final excess velocity relative to the central body. Similarly to parabolic trajectories, all hyperbolic trajectories are also escape trajectories. The specific energy of a hyperbolic trajectory orbit is positive. Planetary flybys, used for gravitational slingshots, can be described within the planet's sphere of influence using hyperbolic trajectories. Parameters describing a hyperbolic trajectory Like an elliptical orbit, a hyperbo ...
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Parabolic Orbit
In astrodynamics or celestial mechanics a parabolic trajectory is a Kepler orbit with the eccentricity equal to 1 and is an unbound orbit that is exactly on the border between elliptical and hyperbolic. When moving away from the source it is called an escape orbit, otherwise a capture orbit. It is also sometimes referred to as a C3 = 0 orbit (see Characteristic energy). Under standard assumptions a body traveling along an escape orbit will coast along a parabolic trajectory to infinity, with velocity relative to the central body tending to zero, and therefore will never return. Parabolic trajectories are minimum-energy escape trajectories, separating positive-energy hyperbolic trajectories from negative-energy elliptic orbits. Velocity The orbital velocity (v) of a body travelling along a parabolic trajectory can be computed as: :v = \sqrt where: *r is the radial distance of the orbiting body from the central body, *\mu is the standard gravitational parameter. A ...
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Eccentricity (mathematics)
In mathematics, the eccentricity of a Conic section#Eccentricity, conic section is a non-negative real number that uniquely characterizes its shape. One can think of the eccentricity as a measure of how much a conic section deviates from being circular. In particular: * The eccentricity of a circle is 0. * The eccentricity of a non-circular ellipse is between 0 and 1. * The eccentricity of a parabola is 1. * The eccentricity of a hyperbola is greater than 1. * The eccentricity of a pair of Line (geometry), lines is \infty. Two conic sections with the same eccentricity are similarity (geometry), similar. Definitions Any conic section can be defined as the Locus (mathematics), locus of points whose distances to a point (the focus) and a line (the directrix) are in a constant ratio. That ratio is called the ''eccentricity'', commonly denoted as . The eccentricity can also be defined in terms of the intersection of a plane and a Cone (geometry), double-napped cone associated with ...
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Standard Gravitational Parameter
The standard gravitational parameter ''μ'' of a celestial body is the product of the gravitational constant ''G'' and the mass ''M'' of that body. For two bodies, the parameter may be expressed as , or as when one body is much larger than the other: \mu=G(M+m)\approx GM . For several objects in the Solar System, the value of ''μ'' is known to greater accuracy than either ''G'' or ''M''. The SI unit of the standard gravitational parameter is . However, the unit is frequently used in the scientific literature and in spacecraft navigation. Definition Small body orbiting a central body The central body in an orbital system can be defined as the one whose mass (''M'') is much larger than the mass of the orbiting body (''m''), or . This approximation is standard for planets orbiting the Sun or most moons and greatly simplifies equations. Under Newton's law of universal gravitation, if the distance between the bodies is ''r'', the force exerted on the smaller body is: F = ...
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Specific Relative Angular Momentum
In celestial mechanics, the specific relative angular momentum (often denoted \vec or \mathbf) of a body is the angular momentum of that body divided by its mass. In the case of two orbiting bodies it is the vector product of their relative position and relative linear momentum, divided by the mass of the body in question. Specific relative angular momentum plays a pivotal role in the analysis of the two-body problem, as it remains constant for a given orbit under ideal conditions. " Specific" in this context indicates angular momentum per unit mass. The SI unit for specific relative angular momentum is square meter per second. Definition The specific relative angular momentum is defined as the cross product of the relative position vector \mathbf and the relative velocity vector \mathbf . \mathbf = \mathbf\times \mathbf = \frac where \mathbf is the angular momentum vector, defined as \mathbf \times m \mathbf. The \mathbf vector is always perpendicular to the instant ...
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Angular Momentum
Angular momentum (sometimes called moment of momentum or rotational momentum) is the rotational analog of Momentum, linear momentum. It is an important physical quantity because it is a Conservation law, conserved quantity – the total angular momentum of a closed system remains constant. Angular momentum has both a direction (geometry), direction and a magnitude, and both are conserved. Bicycle and motorcycle dynamics, Bicycles and motorcycles, flying discs, Rifling, rifled bullets, and gyroscopes owe their useful properties to conservation of angular momentum. Conservation of angular momentum is also why hurricanes form spirals and neutron stars have high rotational rates. In general, conservation limits the possible motion of a system, but it does not uniquely determine it. The three-dimensional angular momentum for a point particle is classically represented as a pseudovector , the cross product of the particle's position vector (relative to some origin) and its mo ...
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True Anomaly
In celestial mechanics, true anomaly is an angular parameter that defines the position of a body moving along a Keplerian orbit. It is the angle between the direction of periapsis and the current position of the body, as seen from the main focus of the ellipse (the point around which the object orbits). The true anomaly is usually denoted by the Greek alphabet, Greek letters or , or the Latin script, Latin letter , and is usually restricted to the range 0–360° (0–2π rad). The true anomaly is one of three angular parameters (''anomalies'') that can be used to define a position along an orbit, the other three being the eccentric anomaly and the mean anomaly. Formulas From state vectors For elliptic orbits, the true anomaly can be calculated from orbital state vectors as: : \nu = \arccos ::(if then replace by ) where: * v is the orbital velocity vector of the orbiting body, * e is the eccentricity vector, * r is the orbital position vector (segment ''FP'' in the fi ...
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