What did we do in class today?
2. - We were put in a new group of 3 or 4 people for project #2: To Mars!
- The handout for project #2 was given
- Practiced Vpython programming (lab manual page 62-68)
Solving for Orbital Velocity of the Earth
This problem can be solved using two different approaches:
1.
The way scientists determine the mass of the sun or other distant big planets is actually by observing the orbital velocity of the planet, and plugging in all the measurable quantities to the above formula.
In reality, there are plenty numbers of forces acting on the spaceship. However, we only calculate the gravitational forces on the spaceship due to the Earth, Mars, and the Sun for the purpose of this project, although there is another big planet that might also affect the spaceship like Jupiter.
You may design the landing system (Sky Crane) for an additional credit on your project.
This is the actual Sky Crane design of MSL:
Homework (due Wednesday, October 13, 2010):
- Write up Prelab (Conservation of Momentum)
- Mastering Physics (Assignment 17 Gravitation and Orbits)
- Start working on project #2
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