A satellite is an elliptic orbit around the earth with aphelion of 6R and perihelion of 2R wherer R = 6400 KM is the radius of the earth. Find the eccentricity of the orbit.

A satellite is an elliptic orbit around the earth with aphelion of 6R

1.	A satellite is an elliptic orbit around the earth with aphelion of 6R and perihelion of 2R wherer R = 6400 KM is the radius of the earth. Find the eccentricity of the orbit.
Answer» SOLUTION :We know that Perigee `(r_p) = a (1-e)=2R ""....(1)` APOGEE `(r_a)=a(1+e)=6R ""....(2)` DIVIDING (1) and 2 we get eccentricity `(e) =1/2`