Homework SourseThe International Space Station makes 1565 revolutions per d
The International Space Station makes 15.65 revolutions per day in its orbit around the earth. Assuming a circular orbit, how high is this satellite above the surface of the earth?
Solution
First, we need the period in sec
T = 24(3600)/15.65
T = 5521 sec per rev
Then by Kepler\'s Third Law
T2/r3 = 4pi2/GM
(5521)2/r3 = 4pi2/(6.67 X 10-11)(5.98 X 1024)
r = 67528765 m from the center of the Earth
From the suface, subtract the radius of the Earth
67528765 - 6.38 X 106 = 372875 m
Divide by 1000 for answer in km
That is 373 km (Rounding to three sig figs)
