phys (1126) - satellites to planets

we were split into random groups today based on randomly given out cards. in each group, we had to work on a particular question, of how to get a satellite to a particular planet.

for us, that was mercury.

we had to decide how to aim the rocket at mercury, whether or not to slingshot it around venus, and how the earth's orbit, other planets' orbit, and the sun's gravity affected the movement of the satellite.

from the north pole (looking down on it), we divised that the earth's axis and all the orbits were going anti-clockwise.

we havent yet reached a conclusion.. but i decided i'd want to be accurate with the answer, and proposed to my teammates tommy & bob that we should measure the orbit.

i got approx 0.3cm = 1 day (assuming earth's orbit is 365 days)

using this, and the estimated speed of the rockets (udit said 30-40km/s, so i said 35) we should be able to calculate the time it would take for the satellite to get to mercury, and using that info, see where the planets will be (assuming the planets are in line when we launched them)

hopefully my idea works.

meanwhile, tommy did a lot of the devising in terms of trajectory & parabola and whatnot