Orbital Mechanics¶
Orbital mechanics is a branch of celestial mechanics that studies orbiting bodies (both natural and man-made) in the outer space under the influence of gravity.
This module focuses on the following topics among others:
Kepler’s laws of motion
Parameters of planetary orbits
Potential and kinetic energy of orbiting bodies
Escape velocities
Links:
Contents:
- Angle of rotation during gravitational maneuver
- Area rate of change is proportional to angular momentum
- Average potential energy via average kinetic energy
- Corrected planet period squared is proportional to cube of semimajor axis
- Eccentricity of orbit via orbit parameters
- First escape velocity
- Kepler’s constant via attracting body mass
- Maximum angle of rotation during gravitational maneuver
- Orbital speed from semimajor axis and planet mass
- Planet period squared is proportional to cube of semimajor axis
- Potential energy of radial planetary motion
- Radial kinetic energy plus potential energy is constant
- Radius of geostationary orbit
- Second escape velocity
- Semimajor axis of orbit via mass and speed
- Semimajor axis via Kepler’s constant and total energy
- Semiminor axis of elliptical orbit via orbit parameters
- Third cosmic speed from orbital and second cosmic speed
- Total energy is negative average kinetic energy