Paradoxes of Cosmic Flights
Abstract
The author discusses several seemingly paradoxical phenomena occurring in space flight. These paradoxes are concerned with the magnitude of gravity at perigee, apogee, perihelion and aphelion. He examines the physics behind the phenomena and provides mathematical explanations which show that one can more easily penetrate onto a heavenly body from the apocentrum of the circulating orbit surrounding it--i.e. from the most distant point from it--than from the closest point--the pericentrum. Moreover, from the point of the earth's orbit closest to the sun--the perihelion, where the force of gravitational attraction of this star is greatest--one can more easily extricate himself beyond the solar system than from the aphelion, i.e. when the earth is most distant from it.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 26, 1977
- Accession Number
- ADA045070
Entities
People
- Ary Szternfeld
Organizations
- National Air and Space Intelligence Center