Finding the speed to orbit Deimos

Thread starter aron silvester
Start date Oct 24, 2017
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Orbit Speed

In summary, calculating the speed necessary to orbit Deimos, one of Mars' two moons, involves using Kepler's third law and the moon's orbital period. By plugging in the values for Deimos' mass and distance from Mars, it can be determined that a speed of approximately 1.35 km/s is needed to orbit the moon. This speed is significantly slower than the speed needed to orbit Earth's moon, due to Deimos' smaller size and weaker gravitational pull. Additionally, Deimos' irregular shape and low gravity make it a challenging target for spacecraft to orbit.

Oct 24, 2017

aron silvester

Homework Statement

They stated in the problem that the radius is 6.3. Why did they multiply it by 10^3 during the calculation?

Homework Equations

It's in part 1 and 3.

The Attempt at a Solution

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Oct 24, 2017

TSny

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What are the units that go with the 6.3 stated in the problem? What are the units of length contained in the units for G?

FAQ: Finding the speed to orbit Deimos

What is the speed needed to orbit Deimos?

The speed needed to orbit Deimos, one of the two moons of Mars, is approximately 1.35 km/s (kilometers per second). This is significantly slower than the speed needed to orbit Mars itself, which is around 3.5 km/s.

How is the speed to orbit Deimos calculated?

The speed needed to orbit Deimos is calculated using the formula for orbital speed: V = √(G*M/r), where V is the speed, G is the gravitational constant, M is the mass of the central body (in this case, Mars), and r is the distance between the two bodies.

How does the size of Deimos affect the speed needed to orbit it?

The size of Deimos does not have a significant impact on the speed needed to orbit it. This is because the orbital speed depends more on the mass and distance of the central body (Mars) rather than the size of the orbiting body (Deimos).

Can the speed to orbit Deimos be changed?

Yes, the speed needed to orbit Deimos can be changed by adjusting the distance from Mars. Closer orbits require faster speeds, while farther orbits require slower speeds. This can be achieved through a process called orbital maneuvering, using thrusters on spacecrafts.

How does the speed to orbit Deimos compare to other moons in our solar system?

The speed needed to orbit Deimos is relatively slow compared to other moons in our solar system. For example, the speed needed to orbit Earth's moon is around 1 km/s, while the speed needed to orbit Jupiter's moon Io is around 17 km/s. This is because the speed depends on the mass and distance of the central body, which varies greatly among different moons.