5 ms·
Is that because you need to decelerate relative to the planet's core to get on an orbit with a smaller radius, so that you can then increase your revolutions pe
by silicon2401 5y ago
Is that because you need to decelerate relative to the planet's core to get on an orbit with a smaller radius, so that you can then increase your revolutions per minute at your existing momentum, then accelerate to get back to the orbit the other object's on? I'm trying to visualize the scenario you're describing
- mdorazio 5y agoI highly recommend you play Kerbal Space Program if you want to get an intuitive understanding for how it works. But in short, yes, and also if you accelerate towards another orbiting object your own orbit becomes more elliptical such that over sufficient distance you will actually move away from it rather than toward it.
- silicon2401 5y agoAh I think that's the piece I was missing, makes sense once you said elliptical. Thanks