Orbital Mechanics

space-science

Earth’s escape velocity is approximately 25,020 miles per hour (about 11.2 kilometers per second) at the surface. This is the minimum speed an object needs, solely from its in...

astronomy

No, Pluto will not hit Neptune. Pluto and Neptune are in a stable 2:3 orbital resonance that prevents close encounters over long time scales. Their orbits are oriented and phase...

astronomy

Pluto and Neptune never collide because their orbits are in a stable 3:2 resonance: Pluto orbits the Sun twice for every three Neptune orbits, keeping them far apart. Their path...

Science & Physics

A gravity connection describes any situation in which systems, structures, or processes are linked by the influence of gravity. In practical terms, it spans how weights, loads,...

space-explained

A first space rendezvous is the first intentional approach and close station-keeping flight of two spacecraft in orbit. It is distinct from a simple flyby because both vehicles...

Science and Technology

Could Neptune and Pluto collide? In the foreseeable future, no. Their orbits are arranged so that Pluto is always deeply embedded inside Neptune’s orbit, and repeated gravitat...

engineering-mathematics

Conic sections—circles, ellipses, parabolas, and hyperbolas—describe shapes formed by slicing a double-napped cone at different angles. In real life, these curves are founda...

science

Mercury’s period of revolution has two key meanings: its orbital period around the Sun and its rotation period relative to the stars. Its sidereal orbital period is about 87.9...

physics

Bound orbits describe objects trapped by the Sun’s gravity that follow repeating, closed paths, while unbound orbits describe objects on escape trajectories that pass once and...

Space Technology

A geosynchronous space elevator relies on a cable under extreme tension to reach beyond geosynchronous orbit. The central physics problem is balancing gravitational pull, centri...