0
If a satellite which is in orbit 173 miles from earth begins to fall at 1640 feet a day when will it hit the earth?
Wiki User
∙ 16y ago
This isn't a straight forward math question. A satellite in orbit at a height of 173 miles and is experiencing orbital decay of 1640 feet a day will eventually come into contact with the upper atmosphere. Atmospheric drag will begin to affect the orbital decay rate, and it will increase. It will not be long before atmospheric drag, which will be heating the satellite, offers so much resistance that the satellite will be burning up and will be slowing down extremely rapidly. It's orbital decay will not be a linear thing as suggested by the problem posed. Only for a while at the start will its decay rate remain constant.
Wiki User
∙ 16y ago
Add your answer:
Earn +20 pts
What is the speed of a satellite?
Between 17,000 and 18,000 miles per hour in earth orbit.
What is velocity required to attain earth orbit of a satellite?
About 18.5 miles/second or 66,600 mph.
What is it meant by apogee and perigee?
Both of those words refer to points in the orbit of an earth satellite ... the moon or any artificial satellite. Apogee . . . the point in the orbit where the satellite is farthest from the earth. Perigee . . . the point in the orbit where the satellite is closest to the earth.
How do you use 'orbit' in a short sentence?
As a noun: The rocket placed the satellite into a high Earth orbit. As a verb: The satellite had to travel very fast to orbit the Earth.
What is the large satellite which orbit earth?
The only natural satellite that orbits the Earth is the Moon.
How do GPS satellite systems orbit?
GPS satellites orbit at 11,000 nautical miles above the Earth
What is The plane of a satellite's orbit must intersect?
The plane of a satellite's orbit must include the center of the earth.
How fast can a satellite go in one complete orbit around the earth?
Sputnik orbited the earth about every 96 minutes. Yuri Gagarin managed the same. What is the speed relative to the earth? Earth's radius is about 4000 miles. If you do the math, you should get a velocity of about 18,000 miles per hour. Higher satellites orbit slower. A geosynchronous satellite (around 22,000 miles up) is stationary with respect to earth's surface. The moon, earth's natural satellite, orbits once every 27.3 days.
Is the earth's natural satellite the sun?
no, the moon is the Earths natural satellite, the moon is in orbit around the Earth. The whole Earth/Moon system is then in orbit around the sun.
How many satellite can be placed in earth orbit?
Earth an pluto
A satellite in a low earth orbit moving faster than a satellite in a geosynchronous orbit?
YES As height increases, speed of satellite decreases.
How does a satellite stay in one place?
For a satellite to stay in one place over the earth, the satellite must be going in orbit in the same direction that the earth spins. The satellite must also travel at the same pace/speed as the earth spins to give us the 24-hour day that we as people witness. To apparently stay in one place it must be in a synchronous orbit. For the earth this is about 24,000 miles altitude. It must also be an equatorial satellite.
