Word: orbital
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Dates: during 1940-1949
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...solar system swarms with asteroids (probably fragments of a shattered planet), but the new-found asteroid is extraordinary. Instead of being almost circular, its orbit is a long ellipse. Revolving around the sun in about 360 days, it passes inside the orbit of Mercury and comes within 22 million miles of the sun. Then it recedes to 156 million miles, beyond the orbit of Mars. No other known asteroid visits both places...
Astronomers think that the new asteroid will prove a useful tool in their unearthly studies. Since it comes close to Mercury, it will help them measure (by changes in its orbit) the mass of the planet, which is not known very exactly. "But [an asteroid] is rather like a concerto," explained Dr. Richardson. "It has no real practical value...
...independence from the Soviet Union in 1917, and that "further consolidation of their state sovereignty ... is possible only by carrying out a policy of sincere friendship with the Soviet Union." Added Leningradskaya Pravda: "The anti-popular activity of Finnish reactionaries is inspired by overseas reaction. Finland is within the orbit of the keen attention of Anglo-American imperialists who are hoping to draw [her] into a contemplated anti-Soviet military bloc...
...seeing around the earth" and guiding a missile that may explain the continued official interest in artificial satellites (TIME, Jan. 10). Granted the development of nuclear-powered rocket motors, it would not be impossible to establish such a satellite revolving round the earth like a tame moon. If its orbit were several thousand miles high, it could watch a good part of the earth (see diagram...
Dropping bombs from a satellite would present problems. Ordinary bombs released from the bomb bay would merely follow along the orbit like smaller satellites. They would have to be shot downward to increase their falling rate and allow them to catch up with the curving surface of the earth. Shooting them backward would have a similar effect. If they were shot backward at a speed equal to the satellite's forward speed on its orbit, they would stand still in space for an instant. Then they would fall vertically toward the earth. The whole satellite could be brought down...