- #1
AdrianGriff
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Thread moved from the technical forums, so no Homework Template is shown
A space vehicle enters the sensible atmosphere of the Earth (300,000 ft) with a velocity of 25,000 ft/sec at a flight-path angle of -60 degrees. What is its velocity and flight-path angle at an altitude of 100 nautical miles during descent?
(Assuming no drag or perturbations, two body orbital mechanics)
My answers I am getting are V = 25,370.7 ft/s at a flight-path angle of -60.029 degrees.
The correct answers the book states are: V = 24,618 ft/s at a flight-path angle of 59 degrees and 58 minutes.
There is a clear correlation between my answers and the correct answers, because it seems that my answers are numerically mirrored over the 25,000 ft/s and the 60 degrees.
If someone could work this out mathematically so I can see what I am doing wrong, or just explain if I'm making a simple conceptual mistake, that would be appreciated.
Thank you in advance,
Adrian
(Assuming no drag or perturbations, two body orbital mechanics)
My answers I am getting are V = 25,370.7 ft/s at a flight-path angle of -60.029 degrees.
The correct answers the book states are: V = 24,618 ft/s at a flight-path angle of 59 degrees and 58 minutes.
There is a clear correlation between my answers and the correct answers, because it seems that my answers are numerically mirrored over the 25,000 ft/s and the 60 degrees.
If someone could work this out mathematically so I can see what I am doing wrong, or just explain if I'm making a simple conceptual mistake, that would be appreciated.
Thank you in advance,
Adrian