Question

A satellite in a circular orbit 1250 kilometers above the Earth makes one complete revolution every 110 minutes. Assuming that Earth is a sphere of radius 6378 kilometers,

what is the linear speed (in kilometers per minute) of the satellite?
What is the linear speed in kilometers per hour, in miles per hour?

Answer 1

Vt = 435,49 Km/min

Vt = 26129 Km/hour

Vt = 16630, 35 miles/hour

Explanation:

The distance from earth center up to satellite position is:

earth radius + distance above earth

radius of satellite 6378 + 1250 = 7628 Km

linear speed = Vt = 2π*r/T

where

r is radius of satellite and T period = 110 min

Then

Vt = 6,28* 7628 / 110

Vt = 47903/110

Vt = 435,49 Km/min

To get it in Km/h we must multiply by 60

Vt = 26129 Km/hour

And finally to get it in miles per hour we divide by 1,6

Vt = 16630, 35 miles/hour