A communication satellite is in an elliptical Earth orbit with perigee distance and…
PHYSICS · Multi-part · A Level · Physics · Fields and their consequences · Fields and their consequences
Problem
A communication satellite is in an elliptical Earth orbit with perigee distance rp=7.0×106m and apogee distance ra=4.0×107m. At apogee the satellite’s thrusters fire briefly, increasing its speed by a small amount Δv that is entirely tangential to the orbit.
(a) Describe qualitatively how the thruster burn alters the satellite’s total mechanical energy and identify the possible new orbit types that may result, depending on the magnitude of Δv.
(b) Explain why there exists a specific threshold value of Δv that marks the transition from a closed orbit to an open (escape) trajectory, and discuss how the sign of the total mechanical energy distinguishes between elliptical, parabolic, and hyperbolic paths.