Our scrappy gang of flea-bitten space terrorists has arrived at 3200 Phaethon. They affix rocket engines to it and use them to stop the asteroid's rotation. Their plans call for boosting the asteroid into an Earth-intercept transfer orbit with a delta-vee time centered at 15:07:12 UT on 2 May 2017, with the intention that impact will occur at 3h UT on 13 December 2017.
Assume these elements for Phaethon.
a = 1.271347453342 au
e = 0.8900251633653
i = 22.18217663884 deg
L = 265.3959345176 deg
w = 322.0132360717 deg
T = JD 2453955.67259
Assume Phaethon masses 1.5E+14 kg.
The terrorists' rocket engines have an aggregate maximum thrust of 1.25E+13 N. Their leader is worried that he had to use too much fuel to stop the asteroid's rotation. He figures there's enough left for a one-hour burn at maximum thrust.
1. What is the magnitude of the largest delta-vee they can impart to Phaethon?
2. Can the terrorists succeed in their nefarious work, or do they lack sufficient fuel?
2007-01-22 17:30:52 · 3 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Assume these elements for Earth's orbit:
a = 1.0000001124 au
e = 0.0167102192
i = 0
L = 0
w = 103.078101 deg
T = JD 2454468.667
2007-01-22 17:33:39 · update #1
Yes, I know those are some HUGE rocket engines, but it's just a physics problem. Real flea-bitten space terrorists would pick a smaller rock.
2007-01-22 17:48:24 · update #2