Solving equations numerically in Mathcad 2001i Professional

[Henriklm]

Homework Statement

Hey there..

I would like to make a path for a spacecraft from Earth to moon, and back again. I found this pdf that explains how, but i can't figure it out.

Homework Equations

http://courses.ncssm.edu/math/NCSSM%...r%203/Moon.pdf

"Part II: The slingshot around the Moon. A two-dimensional problem" (p. 4-6).

The Attempt at a Solution

Is the trick to take initiating x,y coordinates and x,y velocity, calculate the acceleration at that point and then calculate where it will be after 0.001 t, then calculate the new acceleration and velocity and so on?

How can I solve this using Mathcad 2001i Professional?

Or am I approaching this the wrong way?
I´ve solved the first part of the PDF, where it is in one dimension, but I can't figure out how to do it in two dimentions :S

Thank you :-)

Henrik

 

[Henriklm]

I'm not sure how to use the "for" function, but here goes

http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/6548/billedtilsp.jpg

mmåne = mass of moon
mjord = mass of earth
xmåne = x position of moon
ymåne = y position of moon

Earth = (0;0)

Could this be a solution? Am i going down the right path, or is it a dead end this way. If not, what could be a solution?

Thank you :-)

Henrik

P.S. I am sure there is a lot of errors in the equation for acceleration, but I can always fix that later :-)