Table of Contents
How do tethers work in space?
They allow momentum to be transferred between objects in space, such as two spacecraft (tethers may redistribute momentum of a system from one body to another, but overall momentum is always conserved). The principle is based on the gravity gradient force. – A bolo tether rotates end-over-end in the orbit plane.
How long would a space tether need to be?
An untapered space elevator cable would need a material capable of sustaining a length of 4,960 kilometers (3,080 mi) of its own weight at sea level to reach a geostationary altitude of 35,786 km (22,236 mi) without yielding.
Can a space elevator be built on the moon?
A lunar space elevator or lunar spacelift is a proposed transportation system for moving a mechanical climbing vehicle up and down a ribbon-shaped tethered cable that is set between the surface of the Moon “at the bottom” and a docking port suspended tens of thousands of kilometers above in space at the top.
How many tethers do astronauts have?
one tether
During a spacewalk, astronauts keep themselves connected to the space station with at least one tether, clipped to the suit using locking metal hooks. Spacesuits are white to reflect the heat from the sun.
Could you build a bridge to the Moon?
No. The earth and moon are in constant motion. The rotation of the Earth alone makes it impossible. More to the point, a bridge stretching hundreds of thousands of miles would require enormous amount of material to be transported into space at great cost.
How long does it take a satellite to complete an orbit?
In this highly inclined orbit, the satellite moves around the Earth from pole to pole, taking about 99 minutes to complete an orbit. During one half of the orbit, the satellite views the daytime side of the Earth. At the pole, satellite crosses over to the nighttime side of Earth.
Why do satellites orbit at the same speed as the Earth?
Because the satellite orbits at the same speed that the Earth is turning, the satellite seems to stay in place over a single longitude, though it may drift north to south. This special, high Earth orbit is called geosynchronous.
How far does a satellite fall in its first second?
A Satellite is a Projectile. For a projectile to orbit the earth, it must travel horizontally a distance of 8000 meters for every 5 meters of vertical fall. It so happens that the vertical distance that a horizontally launched projectile would fall in its first second is approximately 5 meters (0.5*g*t 2 ).
Which orbit is used by the Global Positioning System satellites?
It is the orbit used by the Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites. The second common medium Earth orbit is the Molniya orbit. Invented by the Russians, the Molniya orbit works well for observing high latitudes.