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Re: [FT] Orbit and FT

From: "Brian Bilderback" <bbilderback@h...>
Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2002 10:15:30 -0800
Subject: Re: [FT] Orbit and FT

Brian Bell Wrote:

>Actually I've used the gravity mechanic for vector movement that others
>have mentioned.  Determine range bands for the gravitational force, and
>then apply them to your motion as an additional thrust.  Orbit isn't
too
>hard to achieve, you just have to a rough idea how much velocity you
have
>to have at a certain altitude.

I like this method, but I do have a couple of questions.  First off, I 
always get Geostationary and Geosynchronous mixed up.  Do they mean the
same 
thing?	If not which one means an orbit that keeps you directly over a
fixed 
point on the planet surface (i know, it was mentioned 2-3 posts ago, but
I 
already deleted it)?  That's the one I mean, and I'll refer to it as GS
for 
the rest of my comments.

How would you simulate GS orbit using those rules?  Do you have each
band 
around the planet, instead of having one fixed velocity for orbit, have
a 
range of allowable velocities, with GS somewhere within that range, or
do 
you have one band at which the orbital velocity matches the velocity 
necessary to maintain GS?  Or is there some direct relationship I'm 
forgetting between a planets rotational speed and the orbital speed
required 
by it's gravity (being as they are both affected by its mass)?

2B^2

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