1 Primary Equations

G · Mearth · Mhubble
Gravitational force equation : Fgravitational = 2 (1)
rorbit
2
Mhubble · vhubble
Centripetal force equation : Fcentripetal = (2)
rorbit

r
GMearth 2πrorbit
= (3)
rorbit T
GMearth (2πrorbit )2
= (4)
rorbit T2
2 3
4π rorbit
GMearth = (5)
T2
2 3
4π rorbit
Mearth = (6)
GT 2

4π 2 rorbit
3
Mearth = (7)
GT 2
4π 2 (6.371 × 106 + 5.385 × 105 )3
Mearth = (8)
(6.67 × 10−11 ) · 5725.22
Mearth = 5.956517 ... × 1024 (9)
24
∴ Mearth ≈ 6 × 10 (m) (10)

∴ rorbit = radius of earth + altitude

2πrorbit
vhubble =
T
The Universal Gravitational Constant G is defined as 6.67 × 10−11
The Mass of the Hubble Space Telescope Mhubble is known to be 1.111 × 104 kg
The Mass of the Earth Mearth is known to be 6.0 × 1024 kg
The radius of the Earth is known to be 6.371 × 106 m

1
2 Orbital Velocity
As centripetal force is provided by gravitational force, equations (1) & (2) can
be equated to obtain a formula for velocity:
2
GMearth Mhubble Mhubble vhubble
2 = (11)
rorbit rorbit
2
GMearth vhubble
2 = (12)
rorbit rorbit
GMearth 2
= vhubble (13)
r r
GMearth
∴ vhubble = (14)
rorbit

r
GMearth
vhubble = (15)
rorbit
s
(6.67 × 10−11 6 × 1024
vhubble = (16)
(6.371 × 106 + 5.5 × 105 )
vhubble = 7604.210273 ... (17)
−1
∴ vhubble ≈ 7604 (ms ) (18)

2πrorbital
vhubble = (19)
T
2π(6.371 × 106 + 5.385 × 105 )
vhubble = (20)
5725.2
vhubble = 7582.9086 ... (21)
−1
∴ vhubble ≈ 7583 (ms ) (22)

r3 GM
2
= (23)
T 4π 2

2
3 Orbital Radius
Rearranging Equation (5) results with a formula for orbital radius:
2
GMearth vhubble
2 = (24)
rorbit rorbit
1 1
GMearth
= 2 (25)
r
v hubble
orbit

rorbit 1
= 2 (26)
GMearth vhubble
GMearth
∴ rorbit = 2 (27)
vhubble

Equations (1), (2), (8), (12) assume point masses, meaning that the distance
r represents the distance from the center of mass of each object. When apply-
ing these equations to Earth and the Hubble Space Telescope, r would be the
distance from the center of the Earth to the center of the telescope. Therefore
to calculate the radius, the radius of the earth must be accounted for. However,
it’s important to note that this is an idealization, and the exact dynamics are
more complex for non-spherical or non-symmetric objects. Thus, for this course,
it is known to assume objects are spherical and symmetrical.

4 Orbital Period
Assuming the orbit of Hubble is a perfect circle, the formula for circular velocity
can be rearranged and evaluated to obtain a value for orbital period:
2πr
v= (28)
t
vt = 2πr (29)
2πr
t= (30)
v

3
 GMearth Mhubble
Fgravitational = 2 (31)
rorbit
(6.67 × 10−11 )(5.956517 ... × 1024 )(1.111 × 104 )
Fgravitational = (32)
(6.371 × 106 + 5.385 × 105 )2
Fgravitational ≈ 92456.8 (33)
∴ Fgravitational ≈ 92457 (N) (34)
(35)
2
Mhubble vhubble
Fcentripetal = (36)
rorbit
1.111 × 104 × (7582.9086 ...)2
Fcentripetal = (37)
(6.371 × 106 + 5.385 × 105 )
Fcentripetal = 92456.8 (38)
∴ Fcentripetal ≈ 92457 (N) (39)

m · v2
Fc = (40)
rorbit

v2
Fc = (41)
rorbit
(7582.9086 ...)2
Fc = (42)
(6.371 × 106 + 5.385 × 105 )
Fc = 8.321948 ... (43)
−1
Fc ≈ 8.32 (ms )

v2
ac = (44)
r
(7582.9086 · · · )2
ac = (45)
(6.371 × 106 + 5.385 × 105 )
ac = 7.9098 · · · (46)
−2
∴ ac = 7.91 (ms ) (47)