A 3000 kg lunar lander is in orbit 60 km above the surface of the moon. It needs

Question

A 3000 kg lunar lander is in orbit 60 km above the surface of the moon. It needs to move out to a 500 km -high orbit in order to link up with the mother ship that will take the astronauts home. Part A How much work must the thrusters do?

Item 20 Part A A 3000 kg lunar lander is in orbit 60 km above the surface of the moon. It needs to move out to a 500 km- high orbit in order to link up with the mother ship that wil take the astronauts home. How much work must the thrusters do? Express your answer with the appropriate units. Value Units Submit My Answers Give Up

Explanation / Answer

here,

radius of moon , r = 1.737 * 10^6 m

mass of lunar lander , m = 3000 kg

mass of moon , M= 7.35 * 10^22 kg

h1 = 6 * 10^4 m

h2 = 5 * 10^5 m

work done by the thruster, W = change in potential energy

W = G * M*m /( r + h1) - G * M*m/(r + h1 + h2)

W = 6.67 * 10^-11 * 7.35 * 10^22 * 3000 *( 1/( 1.737 * 10^6 + 60000) - (1.737 * 10^6 + 60000 + 5 * 10^5))

W = 1.78 * 10^9 J

the work done by the Lunar Lander is 1.78 * 10^9 J

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