The first known collision between space debris and a functioning satellite occurred in 1996: At an altitude of 737 km, a year-old French spy satellite was hit by a piece of an Ariane rocket that had been in orbit for 10 years. A stabilizing boom on the satellite was demolished, and the satellite was sent spinning out of control. Just before the collision and in kilometers per hour, what was the speed of the rocket piece relative to the satellite if both were in circular orbits and the collision was (a) head-on and (b) along perpendicular paths?

Principles of Physics: A Calculus-Based Text
5th Edition
ISBN:9781133104261
Author:Raymond A. Serway, John W. Jewett
Publisher:Raymond A. Serway, John W. Jewett
Chapter11: Gravity, Planetary Orbits, And The Hydrogen Atom
Section: Chapter Questions
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The first known collision between space debris and a functioning satellite occurred in 1996: At an altitude of 737 km, a year-old French spy satellite was hit by a piece of an Ariane rocket that had been in orbit for 10 years. A stabilizing boom on the satellite was demolished, and the satellite was sent spinning out of control. Just before the collision and in kilometers per hour, what was the speed of the rocket piece relative to the satellite if both were in circular orbits and the collision was (a) head-on and (b) along perpendicular paths?
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