Erador Posted February 17, 2004 Posted February 17, 2004 hey ....i just am really interested...with all this satellite stuffs... and was wondering since my knowledge of such matters isnt comprehensive enough.... does the moon afftect a satellite in geo or leo orbit? and if it does...elaborate.... thanks... ERADOR
fafalone Posted February 17, 2004 Posted February 17, 2004 Yes. Every body affects every other body gravitationally.
Erador Posted February 17, 2004 Author Posted February 17, 2004 .... i meant that would the gravity be able to distort the satelittes orbit? i know that pressure of the suns rays makes the satellite move in an eliptical orbit but does the moons gravity elongate the orbit as well...it probably does, but i need to hear some backing for my mind to ease...lol
fafalone Posted February 17, 2004 Posted February 17, 2004 The satellites are automatically corrected for the effects of the moons pull. Some satellites are even corrected for relativity.
Erador Posted February 17, 2004 Author Posted February 17, 2004 automatically as in devices? or by the pull of earth?! im really confused lol this maybe simple, but my mind always manges to trap me
JaKiri Posted February 17, 2004 Posted February 17, 2004 Automatically as in small rockets that correct the orbit.
YT2095 Posted February 17, 2004 Posted February 17, 2004 computer controled to compensate for these differences, there`s something similar to a realtime doppler signal too, so that if anything NOT compensated for occurs, it`ll detect the signal change and compensate automaticly. using tiny gas thrusters as mrl said.
Erador Posted February 18, 2004 Author Posted February 18, 2004 you mean theres no way the gravitational pull of earth can stablize the satellite?
Erador Posted February 18, 2004 Author Posted February 18, 2004 how could i experiment with this? i was thinking of using 2 styrofoam balls, and place a magnet in each and then tie a string to a bolt or nut or something stick one ball onto a stick and then twirl the strong and see the object create a circular orbit around the ball then place the other ball close by and see the pull on the bolt that will make small changes ___________ but you guys are saying the pull is so little that you cant really demonstrate it on this scale or if you could...how can i demonstrate it to an 11 year old?
JaKiri Posted February 18, 2004 Posted February 18, 2004 It's a positive feedback loop, the problem will only get worse if you leave it.
OrderInChaos Posted February 18, 2004 Posted February 18, 2004 Erador said in post # :you mean theres no way the gravitational pull of earth can stablize the satellite? First post here, but I think I have the hang of this whole science thing There are five points in space (at least that I can remember) where the gravitational pull of earth and moon cancel each other out. So at these points, yes the earths gravitational pull will correct for it. Anywhere else though, no you need rockets to correct for this.
JaKiri Posted February 18, 2004 Posted February 18, 2004 Lagrange points, and that's ignoring all other forces (be it from solar wind, other gravitational sorces, or whatever), and you'll drift in time.
Erador Posted February 19, 2004 Author Posted February 19, 2004 how can i prove this? and make it easy enough so that an 11 year old can understand it? :\
Erador Posted February 19, 2004 Author Posted February 19, 2004 omg...i dont know who wrote those last 2 posts ...maybe my password is too easy :\
JaKiri Posted February 19, 2004 Posted February 19, 2004 Erador said in post # :how can i prove this? and make it easy enough so that an 11 year old can understand it? :\ Look at it like the peak of a mountain. When you're on top, an balanced, you'll stay there forever. However, say there's a wind blowing. You'll gradually get pushed off the top of the mountain, and from thenceforth you'll be accelerating more and more rapidly, as you fall down the sides (or get closer to either the earth or the moon; the further away from the lagrange point* you are, the more one of them 'dominates' force wise). Hence, if you want to stay at the top, you need to correct your position occasionally, like a satellite using thrusters. *A lagrange point is a point in space where the gravitational pull of the moon and the earth are equal and opposite.
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