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dansmith170
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- TL;DR Summary
- Can a satellite that undergoes a low continuous thrust maintain the same angular velocity as a satellite that does not undergo said thrust?
Suppose two satellites are in a circular heliocentric orbit with radius R and with angular velocity O'. Satellite 2 then undergoes a low continuous thrust. Can Satellite 2 (the one that undergoes the continuous low thrust) maintain the same angular velocity O' about the sun?
It seems that Satellite 2 may now be in an elliptic orbit (or outward spiraling orbit) and presumably its thrust vector is perpendicular to a line connecting Satellite 2 to Satellite 1, to the Sun. (Tangential thrust).
How might one go about proving that angular velocity (O') can be maintained as Satellite 2 accelerates (if it is possible at all)?
P.S. I think I am confused about whether increasing tangential velocity increases radius in a way that would prohibit O' from being maintained by the accelerating satellite.
It seems that Satellite 2 may now be in an elliptic orbit (or outward spiraling orbit) and presumably its thrust vector is perpendicular to a line connecting Satellite 2 to Satellite 1, to the Sun. (Tangential thrust).
How might one go about proving that angular velocity (O') can be maintained as Satellite 2 accelerates (if it is possible at all)?
P.S. I think I am confused about whether increasing tangential velocity increases radius in a way that would prohibit O' from being maintained by the accelerating satellite.