For Those of You with Too Much Time on Your Hands...

  • Thread starter Thread starter KennyFlys
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I find that first one pretty easy..and with a touchpad for that matter.
 
fgcason said:
Here's a fun one:

http://www.colorado.edu/physics/2000/applets/satellites.html

See how long you can keep a satellite going before it makes a hole in the ground.
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That one is pretty interesting. I actually managed to launch one that goes for quite a period outside the visual area. It comes back in between the earth and moon. Apparently, there's enough pull between them the satellite continues between them and shoots back out of the visual area.

I just looked again. There are two separate satellites doing this. Cool page!
 
Jesse, it would be pretty cool if the satellite demo had a larger viewing area. How easy would that be to make?

It would be neat to see the entire orbit of the two satellites I'm currently watching.
 
Well i have 2 orbiting in the confines of the space , been going for about 15 min. now and dont seem to get near the earth or the moon, atleast not near enough to pull them into the planets
Dave G
 
KennyFlys said:
That one is pretty interesting. I actually managed to launch one that goes for quite a period outside the visual area.

There are two separate satellites doing this. Cool page!
Click to expand...

This is addicting. I finally managed to get one in a pretty stable orbit inside the moons orbit. The only way I could manage it was to put it in a clockwise orbit counter to that of the moon's. I'm sure there's going to be someone try to explain the physics of that to me. (try being the operative word here) :rolleyes: :D
 
ausrere said:
This is addicting. I finally managed to get one in a pretty stable orbit inside the moons orbit. The only way I could manage it was to put it in a clockwise orbit counter to that of the moon's. I'm sure there's going to be someone try to explain the physics of that to me. (try being the operative word here) :rolleyes: :D
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Gravity! Or, electromagnetic force.

Recall any scenes in show that refer to a "slingshot" of a spacecraft around the moon and back to earth?

On this applet, turn on the "Show Force" then rapidly click and release several objects around the center force. You'll see how some are able to slingshot themselves around the force and back out into orbit.

http://www.colorado.edu/physics/2000/applets/orbits.html
 
ausrere said:
This is addicting. I finally managed to get one in a pretty stable orbit inside the moons orbit. The only way I could manage it was to put it in a clockwise orbit counter to that of the moon's. I'm sure there's going to be someone try to explain the physics of that to me. (try being the operative word here) :rolleyes: :D
Click to expand...

Kinda neat to get one figure eighting around the Earth and Moon. As far as the explanation of the physics involved...just enjoy. Even NASA's mainframes sweat over trajectories and celestial mechanics.
 
We played with that satellite in my ap physics class. We probably spent half an hour trying to get a satellite on a free return trajectory, eventually got it.
 
KennyFlys said:
Gravity! Or, electromagnetic force.

Recall any scenes in show that refer to a "slingshot" of a spacecraft around the moon and back to earth?

On this applet, turn on the "Show Force" then rapidly click and release several objects around the center force. You'll see how some are able to slingshot themselves around the force and back out into orbit.

http://www.colorado.edu/physics/2000/applets/orbits.html
Click to expand...

See ...I KNEW someone would try to explain it! I get the basics...but most of it is WAY over my head. There's reasons I went in to law enforcement and not physics. :yes:
 
ausrere said:
See ...I KNEW someone would try to explain it! I get the basics...but most of it is WAY over my head. There's reasons I went in to law enforcement and not physics. :yes:
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Please tell me you understand the physics of that lead projectile in your possession! :)
 
etsisk said:
Don't need to understand the physics of it, just how to make it behave. :)
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I don't know my knowledge of physics, analytical geometry and calculus got me to place the satellite at the right point pretty quick to get an orbit the was making a figure eight with the earth at one foci and the moon at the other.
 
KennyFlys said:
Please tell me you understand the physics of that lead projectile in your possession! :)
Click to expand...

:rofl:

Enough to know I don't want to see it curving around some object and coming back at me like that simulated satellite does!
 
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