Missile Landing Radius Problem (Orbital mechanics)

Join the discussion
Ask a follow-up here, or get your own question answered by working scientists, mathematicians and engineers — people, not an autocomplete.
Real named experts · corrections over time · the nuance an AI answer skips
1 reply · 3K views
springBreeze
Messages
9
Reaction score
0

Homework Statement


At time t=0, there is a missile at a height h directly above the perfectly round Earth moving tangential to the surface of Earth. What must be the maximum velocity of the missile at t=0 if it must land within radius r on Earth directly below its initial position by the time it strikes the ground?


Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution



I have tried using some orbital mechanics equations by visualizing the trajectory of the missile as a parabola. At t=0, the object is at apoapsis and at final time (when it strikes the ground), it's at periapsis. I tried equations such as

momentum = radius at apoapsis * velocity at apoapsis
semi-latus rectum = momentum^2/gravitational constant

in order to find the velocity at apoapsis but I have no idea what the radius at apoapsis should be. The apoapsis radius must be greater than h and less than h+R_earth but other than that, I have no clue on how to find it.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
If you replace g by [tex]\frac{GM}{r^2}[/tex], things become much easier.