How to calculate the speed of a satellite around the sun.

In summary, the conversation discusses the process of calculating the speed of a satellite around the sun. One formula gives a relatively accurate answer in km/s, while the other one produces a value of 1.32*1017. After further discussion and clarification, it is determined that the second formula was incorrect and should have been written as Sqrt(G*M*(2/r-1/a)). With this correction, the resulting speed is approximately 10 km/s, which is in the expected range.
  • #1
Francis Forget
3
0
Hi guys,
I'm currently doing a little project an I need to calculate the speed of a satellite around the sun! I'm currently trying with the Earth, but i have some problem.
When I'm using this formula : (2*Pi*a*Sqrt(1-e2))/T(1±e)
I get an answer in km/s which seams pretty good. (29,75 km/s)
But when I'm using this one : Sqrt(G*M*(2/r)-(1/a)) I'm getting 1,32*1017
I don't really know how I can transform that answer into something in km/s

If I'm not clear enough, feel free to ask me questions!

Thanks!
 
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  • #3
Drakkith said:
I'm not too familiar with orbital mechanics. Could you tell me what equation you're using here?

Yeah, I'm using the equation listed above but I'm going to link you different image where it's clearly listed ! Thank you very much for helping me !

Eq1 : http://i.imgur.com/GYaHMLJ.png
Where Vp is Speed,
a is the length of the semi-major axis of the elliptical orbit
e is the eccentricity
Eq2 : http://upload.wikimedia.org/math/6/6/d/66dd08fa58f176503e2f0b6603769f4d.png
Where V is Speed,
μ is the standard gravitational parameter,
r is the distance at which the speed is to be calculated
a is the length of the semi-major axis of the elliptical orbit
Image 3 : http://i.imgur.com/zzmlLKQ.png
Here is my project so far, as you can see, my answers aren't good when it comes to the second equation!
 
Last edited:
  • #5
Bandersnatch said:
Is that the actual equation you're using? You missed a pair of brackets there.
Should be:
##\sqrt{GM(2/r-1/a)}##
see here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orbital_speed#Precise_orbital_speed
Thanks you ! But it's worse now... I'm getting :
upload_2015-4-2_16-30-38.png

What's the unit of this? How can I convert it to km/s ?

Thanks!
 
  • #6
See the wikipedia link. They do the exact same calculation you're doing as an example, with numbers and units. The ##\mu## in their equation is just the same as ##GM##.
 
  • #7
If you get 1016 it is a calculation error. Do you square the product instead of taking the square root?

Quick estimate using SI units: G is 10-10, M is 1030 , r and a are 1011 so 2/r is 10-11 and 1/a is half that value.
That means the product is about 108 and the square root is 10000 with units m/s, or 10km/s - which is the right order of magnitude.
 

1. How do you calculate the speed of a satellite around the sun?

The speed of a satellite around the sun can be calculated using the formula v = √(GM/R), where v is the orbital speed, G is the gravitational constant, M is the mass of the sun, and R is the distance between the satellite and the center of the sun.

2. What units are used to measure the speed of a satellite around the sun?

The speed of a satellite around the sun is typically measured in kilometers per second (km/s) or meters per second (m/s).

3. Do all satellites have the same speed around the sun?

No, the speed of a satellite around the sun can vary depending on its distance from the sun. Satellites that are closer to the sun will have a higher speed than those that are farther away.

4. Can the speed of a satellite around the sun change?

Yes, the speed of a satellite around the sun can change due to various factors such as changes in the gravitational pull of other objects, atmospheric drag, and external forces acting on the satellite.

5. How does the speed of a satellite around the sun affect its orbit?

The speed of a satellite around the sun is directly related to its orbit. A higher speed will result in a larger orbit, while a lower speed will result in a smaller orbit. This is because the speed of a satellite determines the balance between its centripetal force (caused by its orbit) and the gravitational force of the sun.

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