Re: Newbie GEO question

From: Jonathan T Wojack (tlj18@juno.com)
Date: Thu Oct 11 2001 - 16:05:57 EDT

  • Next message: Bjoern Gimle: "Re: Starshine 3 obs"

    > I'm new to the list and have a question regarding GEO sat's.
    > At what speeds do they travel?
    > I realize that relative to the earth at 22,000 miles they travel 0, 
    > but
    > let's say bring their orbit down to LEO, how fast would they be 
    > traveling?
    > 17,500?
    > I was able to observe one in my homemade 10" telescope, very cool. 
    > Stars
    > move, Satellite doesn't.
    
    I'll theorize:
    
    If we assume that GEO sats orbit at 22,000 miles (I think it's closer to
    25,000 miles, but I'm not sure), then I theorize that we can find their
    speed (relative to what I don't know).  I think we can just extend the
    radius of the Earth 22,000 on paper to discover the satellite's speed:
    
    Diameter = Pi*d
    Diamteter = Pi*(22,000+22,000+8,000[Diamter of Earth])
    Diameter = Pi*(52,000)
    Diameter = 163,362 miles.
    
    Now, this theoretical distance is traveled in approximately 24 hours:
    
    Speed = s[Distance]/t
    Speed = 163,362/24
    Speed = 6,806 miles per hour
    
    This translates into 1.89 miles per second, which translates into the
    perferred 3 kilometers per second.
    
    [This was all a big guess.  I hope it's right!   : - )]
    
    ------------------------------
    Jonathan T. Wojack                 tlj18@juno.com
    39.706d N   75.683d W           
    http://www.angelfire.com/stars2/projectorion
    4 hours behind UT (-4)
    
    ________________________________________________________________
    GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO!
    Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less!
    Join Juno today!  For your FREE software, visit:
    http://dl.www.juno.com/get/web/.
    
    -----------------------------------------------------------------
    Unsubscribe from SeeSat-L by sending a message with 'unsubscribe'
    in the SUBJECT to SeeSat-L-request@lists.satellite.eu.org
    http://www.satellite.eu.org/seesat/seesatindex.html
    



    This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Thu Oct 11 2001 - 16:15:55 EDT