Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!rice!uw-beaver!milton!sumax!amc-gw!thebes!polari!crad
From: crad@polari.UUCP (Charles Radley)
Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: Re: Solar Impact Mission.
Summary: Very little speed is lost to heat.  Orbital eccentricity increased.
Message-ID: <3302@polari.UUCP>
Date: 7 Feb 91 03:00:38 GMT
References: <1991Feb4.111437.9283@helios.physics.utoronto.ca> <1991Feb5.185021.10001@lonex.radc.af.mil>
Organization: Seattle Online Public Unix (206) 328-4944
Lines: 14



Some of the velocity would be lost due to thermal dissipation, +but
most of it would be redi+rected into a new solar orbit with much higher
eccenricity.   The trade of+f is increasing the aphelion by reducing
the perihlion.   This is done by changing the velocity vector even
though the magnitude does not increase, and will as you said, be
a slightly smaller because of heat loss.
    The perhelion can be below the surface of the Sun because the
spacecraft is heading away from the Sun.
   The energy of a highly eccentric orbt can be the same as for a near
circular orbit, so conservation  of energy is not violated, and there is
no need to invoke relativity !
    Well, Henry, how does that sound ?