A Satellite in a 100-Mile-High Circular Orbit Around Earth Has $\sqrt { 2 }$

Short Answer

A satellite in a 100-mile-high circular orbit around Earth has a velocity of approximately 17,500 miles per hour. If this velocity is multiplied by $\sqrt { 2 }$ , the satellite will have the minimum velocity necessary to escape Earth's gravity and will follow a parabolic path with the center of Earth as the focus. (Hints: The radius of Earth is 4,000 miles.)
​ Find the distance between the surface of the Earth and the satellite when $\theta = 40 ^ { \circ }$ .
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