Re: Another Gravity Problem

[Leigh Palmer <palmer@sfu.ca>]

> My question is:  I know the satellite will orbit at a lower velocity
> at the greater distance but where does the slowing down occur?

On the way up. If one were to raise a circular orbit by continuously
firing a weak rocket in the direction opposite the velocity, the
orbit would be raised, it would remain circular, and the speed would
be reduced! That is not the way to raise a circular orbit efficiently,
however. You can look up "Hohmann ellipse" in the CRC Handbook, or at
least in the 72d edition, or see it in a proper astronomy text. The
Hohmann transfer orbit is the fuel efficient way to accomplish the
same result, and you will see just where the slowing down occurs in
that one. The satellite does speed up first in that case.

Leigh