We all are familiar with Issac Newton’s (1643 – 1727) laws of motion. They form the fundamental basis for physics. Hence it is of no surprise that they are used widely in space science. From in a rocket to basic calaculations while making it, they are used everywhere.
The first law of Motion: An object at rest
stays at rest, and an object in motion stays in motion with the same velocity
unless acted upon by an unbalanced external force.
Applications: Applications: Until external
forces like gravity or the thrusters act upon a rocket, it will continue to
travel in a straight line at a constant speed after turning off the thrusters.
They can travel great distances without requiring fuel or engine power because
of this. There are numerous additional instances. Because they are essentially falling towards
Earth while simultaneously travelling quickly, satellites orbit the planet.
They remain in orbit, changing direction but staying at the same speed due to
the equilibrium between their forward motion (inertia) and the Earth's gravity.
Knowing inertia is essential when docking two spacecraft. To prevent
collisions, the force must be applied appropriately to the target spacecraft's
velocity and direction. To prevent collisions, the force must be applied
appropriately to the target spacecraft's velocity and direction. Astronauts
must be aware of inertia when moving around in the weightless environment of
space. Since they will keep moving at that speed until they are acted upon by
another force, such as a wall or a railing, it is important to exercise caution
when applying a force to move from one place to another. Newton's first law is
illustrated by reboosts, in which a spacecraft or space station uses its
thrusters to adjust its orbit. The object's velocity is altered by the
thrusters' acceleration, but until another force acts upon it, it will continue
to move at the new, constant velocity after the thrusters are turned off.
The second law of Motion: The acceleration
of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it and
inversely proportional to its mass.
Application: Rocket Propulsion: Thrust and Acceleration: Rockets use Newton's second law to comprehend how thrust, a force, drives them forward. If the mass stays the same, the acceleration increases with the thrust.Mass Change During Flight: As fuel is burned, rockets undergo mass change. Rockets start out slowly before accelerating because F=MA, which states that a decreasing mass (as fuel is used) means the rocket accelerates faster. Calculating Escape Velocity: Newton's second law and other concepts aid in figuring out how fast a rocket must travel in order to escape Earth's gravity. Spacecraft Trajectories: Forecasting Motion Newton's second law is essential for figuring out spacecraft routes, taking into consideration the gravitational pull of celestial bodies. Because the centripetal force required for circular motion is provided by gravity, orbital mechanics helps explain how satellites maintain their orbits. Spacecraft Trajectories: Forecasting Motion Newton's second law is essential for figuring out spacecraft routes, taking into consideration the gravitational pull of celestial bodies. Because the centripetal force required for circular motion is provided by gravity, orbital mechanics helps explain how satellites maintain their orbits. General Applications: Spacecraft Design: The law aids engineers in creating spacecraft structures that are resilient to the forces involved in orbital manoeuvres, launch, and re - entry. Understanding Space Phenomena: The formation and motion of celestial bodies like the moon are explained by Newton's second law and his law of universal gravitation.
Third law of Motion: For
every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
In conclusion Newton’s
laws of motion plays a major and significant role in the space field. The most
important things in physics are also the most important in space. Without them,
such advancement in the space field would not have been possible.
------ ESHWAR K SRIVATS
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