What is the Initial Speed of a Satellite Launched from a Moving Space Station?

[lah214]

If a space station is traveling in space at a speed of 5230 m/s, and launches a satellite, would the initial speed of the satellite be 0 m/s or 5230 m/s?

 

[dotman]

Hello,

I suppose strictly speaking, this depends on what you mean by launch. But if you're having trouble thinking it through in space, maybe this will help-- its really the same question. Imagine you're driving your car down the road, and you're holding a baseball out of the window. When you let it go, how fast is it moving?

How fast is it moving if you throw it?

Lastly, and this maybe beyond the intent of the question, or it may be the intent of the question, how do you measure speed? In your example, 5230 m/s compared to what?

Hope this helps.

 

[ogb p]

The initial speed of the satellite would also be 5230 m/s. This is because the satellite is launched from the space station while it is already moving at a speed of 5230 m/s. The satellite would inherit this initial speed and continue to travel at the same velocity as the space station. This is due to the principle of conservation of momentum, which states that the total momentum of a system remains constant unless acted upon by an external force. Therefore, the initial speed of the satellite would be the same as that of the space station.