When we've sent out space probes in the past to vist and gather information about our solar system, how do the engineers make sure none of the probes crash into an asteroid in the belt that exists between Mars and Jupiter?
2006-07-25 10:42:50 · 9 answers · asked by davidgarciadrg 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
This is because we don't send our satellites on a trajectory that will even pass through the belt... Remember space is 3-D.
The asteroid belt is a series of rocky asteroids in pretty much a co planar orbit. We can easily lock into an orbit that does not intecept that plane at any time... Thus, we avoid it.
Also, the belt is not as full of asteroids as one may think. It is not a dense formation like you may see on a sci-fi movie.
2006-07-25 10:47:07 · answer #1 · answered by AresIV 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Planetary probes can pass through the asteroid belt without any problem because, unlike in the movies, there is really a LOT of space between asteroids. More than 7000 have been discovered and several hundred new ones are found every year. There are probably millions of asteroids of various size, but those in the asteroid belt are spread over a ring that is more than a billion kilometers in circumference, more than 100 million kilometers wide, and millions of kilometers thick.
2006-07-25 18:26:32 · answer #2 · answered by hkyboy96 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The asteroid belt is spread so thinly that space probes have passed through it without a problem.
You'd probably want to know where the bigger chunks are though.
2006-07-25 17:52:25 · answer #3 · answered by minuteblue 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
actually the asteroid belt is mostly empty space believe it or not, yes there are a lot of asteroids but there is so much space in between them, that is what most of our solar system is, empty space, the odds of hitting one is very slim so they dont worry about it.
2006-07-25 19:08:55 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Probes have small navigational thrusters. They also have radar.
Also, despite popular myth, the asteriod belt is not a densly packed regional, I've read it's possible to go through and not see any asteriods. Space is HUGE.
2006-07-25 17:46:07 · answer #5 · answered by Greg P 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They plot a best course around known entities.
Then hope for the best. They have lost many probes due to unknown disasters.
2006-07-25 17:45:47 · answer #6 · answered by beedaduck 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
silly 99% space too much sci-fi (almost nowhere could you stand on an asteroid and see 10 more) if they were close gravitational attraction would draw them together and form a world)
2006-07-25 17:45:49 · answer #7 · answered by fact checker 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They go above the ecliptic
2006-07-25 17:48:31 · answer #8 · answered by ceprn 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They cross their fingers and pray.
2006-07-25 17:45:58 · answer #9 · answered by P. M 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋