Question

Problem 1 Explorer No.1 launched in January 1958 had perigee and apogee heights above the Earth's surface of 360 km and 2550 km and an inclination of 33.2°. Calculate the: a) orbit period, b) its eccentricity, c) the total energy (per unit mass of the orbit) d) the angular momentum (per unit mass of the orbit), e) the maximum and minimum speeds and orbit positions f) the minimum impulse to change the inclination to 0° assuming the satellite passes the equator at its perigee, g) the minimum impulse AV required to escape Earth. (Answers: 1.92hr, 0.14, -25.4 MJ/kg, 5.53x1010 m²/s, 8.2p & 6.2a km/s, 3.54 km/s, 2.67 km/s)