Rosetta arrives at comet
It has a triangular orbit and has detected a soda can worth of water a second coming from the comet.
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3. torbengb commented 10 years ago
"Gravity assist" sounds like magic, but it's really clever. Here's one source:
The idea behind a gravity assist is to use a planet's motion to accelerate a satellite. For example, a satellite heads toward Jupiter -- in the process, it accelerates because it is "falling toward" Jupiter. Then, it passes fairly close to the planet and starts speeding away from it. However, at that point, the satellite starts slowing down because gravity is pulling it back toward the planet. From that description, it would seem like the net effect of gravity assist is zero.
The thing that makes gravity assist work is the fact that the planet is in motion in its orbit. Jupiter is moving through space at about 30,000 mph (48,000 kph). If the satellite is moving in the same direction as Jupiter in its orbit, it can actually increase its speed by 30,000 mph! That is a huge speed increase, and it's completely free.
The problem with gravity assist is that you have to wait for the planets to line up correctly for it to work. That is why missions have to fly within certain time windows.
http://science.howstuffworks.com/dictionary/astronomy-terms/question102.htm
The idea behind a gravity assist is to use a planet's motion to accelerate a satellite. For example, a satellite heads toward Jupiter -- in the process, it accelerates because it is "falling toward" Jupiter. Then, it passes fairly close to the planet and starts speeding away from it. However, at that point, the satellite starts slowing down because gravity is pulling it back toward the planet. From that description, it would seem like the net effect of gravity assist is zero.
The thing that makes gravity assist work is the fact that the planet is in motion in its orbit. Jupiter is moving through space at about 30,000 mph (48,000 kph). If the satellite is moving in the same direction as Jupiter in its orbit, it can actually increase its speed by 30,000 mph! That is a huge speed increase, and it's completely free.
The problem with gravity assist is that you have to wait for the planets to line up correctly for it to work. That is why missions have to fly within certain time windows.
http://science.howstuffworks.com/dictionary/astronomy-terms/question102.htm
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5. Sizzlik (admin) commented 10 years ago
#3 True..playing KSP i learned a lot about the mechanics behind gravity assist, slingshot, orbit alighnment. Very interessting topic..thats math on a big scale. My respect to all the guys that do the math.
Math on earth is not that easy..but calculating stuff that will happen years from now..hit the right time window..calculate where to land 3 decades ahead..
Only a few can understand and apreciate the work thats been done.
#4 The images taken are from telescopes..there is no GoPro POV footage.
Math on earth is not that easy..but calculating stuff that will happen years from now..hit the right time window..calculate where to land 3 decades ahead..
Only a few can understand and apreciate the work thats been done.
#4 The images taken are from telescopes..there is no GoPro POV footage.
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About this video
Category: Science
Published: 10 years ago
Views: 1,882
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Length: 3:59 minutes
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+11 1. Kuttan commented 10 years ago