What happens if I speed up an Apollo group asteroid?

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on the implications of increasing the speed of Apollo group asteroids, specifically (343158) 2009 HC82, which has a maximum speed of 56 km/s at perihelion. Attaching engines to this asteroid will indeed alter its orbit, as increasing its speed at perihelion changes the trajectory significantly. The user modeled this scenario using AstroGrav, revealing that even a small increase in speed can result in trajectories similar to 'Oumuamua, indicating that asteroid freight trains are unsuitable for high-speed transport in the inner solar system.

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  • Understanding of orbital mechanics
  • Familiarity with asteroid classifications, specifically Apollo group asteroids
  • Experience with simulation tools like AstroGrav
  • Knowledge of high-speed space travel concepts
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  • Research the principles of orbital mechanics and how speed affects asteroid trajectories
  • Explore the capabilities and limitations of AstroGrav for modeling celestial bodies
  • Investigate alternative modes of transport for high-speed travel in the solar system
  • Study the characteristics and behavior of 'Oumuamua-like objects in space
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Aerospace engineers, astrophysicists, science fiction writers, and anyone interested in the dynamics of asteroid movement and high-speed space travel.

member 656954
Okay, having devised the antimatter bomb, I'm moving along to the concept of using Apollo group asteroids as freight trains for the inner solar system, but my knowledge of orbital mechanics is zilch.

For example, (343158) 2009 HC82 appears to have a max speed of about 56 km/s at perihelion. It's fast, but I want faster!

So, if I attach engines to 2009 HC82 and add to its speed, will I alter its orbit, or does it just travel faster in the same orbit?

And more generically, is there a maximum speed for an Earth-crossing orbit that runs in from about Ceres to somewhere between Mercury and Venus?
 
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You will definitely alter its orbit. If you speed it up at perihelion and then let it coast, it will return to that point, but the rest of the orbit will change.
 
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I just used AstroGrav to model this and it doesn't take much extra speed to kick an object out of the solar system, and certainly the speeds I intend to use do not result in orbits, they result in 'Oumuamua-like transits :frown:

So, I'm going to have to use a different mode of transport for the story, asteroid freight trains can work for second class goods, but it's too slow for what I need.
 

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