Orbital Assistance

[kelvinzero]

Speaking of calculations, I did a basic calc. for the tether using a=v^2/r (ie 'centrifugal' force)<br />V=8000m/s, r=100,000m (ie 200km diameter if equal counterweight)<br />and got 640 ms^-2<br />So I guess that is about 64 gravities. Also, the hook would 'pause' at the bottom of its swing for 64 times less time than a baseball would 'pause' at the top of its flight if thrown into the air.

 

[alonzofyfe]

Actually, when I was in high school, I actually did buy books on space mathematics and I spent my evenings working through equations as you suggested.<br /><br />However, in college, I was more interested in matters of political philosophy, which has not required this same type of math.<br /><br />I still have an appreciation for what is possible, however, and I fully recognize that the intuitive mind does not always yield results that are compatible with the laws of physics.<br /><br />I might enjoy going back to when I did these equations for fun. However, I was hoping to take some advantage of the fact that others here might be kind enough to save me a little time in that regard.<br /><br />Or, if you could point me to a reliable web site with the relevant formulae, I could do as you suggest.