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kraigandrews
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Homework Statement
A rocket is in an elliptical orbit around the earth; the radius varies between 1.12 Rearth and 1.24 Rearth. To put the rocket into an escape orbit, its engine is fired briefly in the direction tangent to the orbit when the rocket is at perigee, changing the rocket's velocity by ∆V. Calculate the minimum value of ∆V to escape from Earth orbit.
Homework Equations
mv1r1=mv2r2
.5mv1^2-(GmM)/r1=.5mv2^2-(GmM)/r2
The Attempt at a Solution
I used energy .5mv1^2-(GMm)/r1=.5mv2^2-(GMm)/r2
then v2=v1(r1/r2) by consv. of angular momentum.
then i solved for v1, this however didnt give me the right answer, I have also tried subtracted v1-v2 for delta_v and still could nt get it. Help?