2007-08-05 21:50:05 · 8 answers · asked by mark mc hammer 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
They will compute in it in a specialized model ,using related functions and soft-wares to get the whole idea how the Mar explorer vehicle is going through.thus ,it won't be hard to know the exact miles and time:)
2007-08-05 21:56:23 · answer #1 · answered by Victoria.li 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
By calculating EVERYTHING! Every little variable - friction, gravity, movement of planets...
Another thing - outer space is total nothingness (well, ALMOST, anyway). No wind, no friction against air... nothing to slow a space craft down; if it gets moving in space, it stays moving :) So, a lot fewer variables are at play for most of the mission.
They've also got programs to help them - erm, I don't really understand them. But they spit out these colorful line-graph things... I guess they're compiling all the variables! My dad thinks they're really exciting - he's done some work on Mars missions, and this is what he uses. I think those folks are also just generally really good at math. My dad used to try to help me with calculus, and he'd look at the problem and say, "well, the answer's 3" - and then he wouldn't be able to explain the steps - it was too obvious for him, or something. He wasn't much help ;)
All right, now I feel like an airhead - sorry! My dad's definitely tried to explain all this to me, lots of times... I TRY to understand, because I know it's important to him, but... yeah. Basically, though, I think the answer is that they look at all the variables, and they use complicated math. And nowadays they get help with the calculations from computers.
2007-08-05 22:10:33 · answer #2 · answered by Cedar 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It isn't easy. Measuring the distances to the planets has consumed a large part of astronomers time and effort for hundreds of years, by using triangulation, trigonometry, orbital mechanics, and lots of other math. And of course it is always changing, because each planet moves in a different orbit at a different speed. Now they have computer programs that can calculate the orbits of all the planets very precisely, and the distances to the planets have been determined even more accurately by the space craft that have actually gone there.
2007-08-06 02:40:34 · answer #3 · answered by campbelp2002 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Mass of Mars and Sun, orbital velocity of Mars, point in orbit relative to Earth, acceleration of probe, Newton's theory of Gravity.
2007-08-05 22:51:44 · answer #4 · answered by Red P 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
By comparison to our orbit. If We take 365(ish) days to orbit the sun. By constantly observing the motion of mars we can work out it's orbit. Galieo worked out the period of jupiters moons a long time ago the science isn't new.
2007-08-05 22:05:21 · answer #5 · answered by Booboo64 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
hey dude with celestial mechanics, newton's and kepler's laws and orbital mechanics
2007-08-06 01:07:58 · answer #6 · answered by suerena 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They shoot a couple of rubberbands at it, and figure it from there.
2007-08-05 22:36:11 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
simple physics
2007-08-05 21:57:31 · answer #8 · answered by Matt R 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋