2006-08-08 12:20:48 · 5 answers · asked by aggies_2011 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Since it's in space and there's nothing that pushes or pulls it except a body's gravitational pull (which only pulls straight down, not left or right), the only thing that can determine the direction is:
The initial direction it was going when it fell into orbit. That either being created by rockets that turned off when it reached the right orbit, or what have you.
2006-08-08 12:23:32 · answer #1 · answered by ymingy@sbcglobal.net 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The direction that it was going in when it entered orbit.
Most satellites launched from the earth's surface that are in equatorial or inclined equatorial orbits travel from west to east. The reason for this is that the earth is already rotating in that direction so the speed given to the satellite by the rocket is added to the speed that the satellite already has sat on the earth's surface. That is also why the best launch sites are close to the equator, because the speed of the earths surface is higher at the equator than at the poles.
2006-08-08 19:43:17 · answer #2 · answered by Stewart H 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The initial velocity is right.
Ace, it depends which way you're looking at the system. There's no such thing as "counterclockwise" without some other reference frame.
2006-08-08 22:05:55 · answer #3 · answered by AK 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it is determined by international agreement
2006-08-08 19:27:07 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
nothing, it always goes counter clockwise
2006-08-08 19:32:10 · answer #5 · answered by Ace 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋