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Encyclopedia > Orbit insertion

Orbit insertion is a maneuver performed by an inter-planetary spacecraft designed to allow the spacecraft to be captured into orbit around a planet or other body such as a moon. The spacecraft approaches the planet at a speed greater than the escape velocity of the planet. The spacecraft must reduce its speed to below the planet's escape velocity. This is usually accomplished through a rocket firing (orbit insertion burn). The reduction in speed allows the spacecraft to settle into orbit around the planet. Aerobraking can also be used to slow the spacecraft, assuming the planet in question has an atmosphere. A spacecraft is designed to leave Earths atmosphere and operate beyond the surface of the Earth in outer space. ... In physics, an orbit is the path that an object makes, around another object, whilst under the influence of a source of centripetal force, such as gravity. ... The eight planets and three dwarf planets of our solar system, alongside the Sun. ... Moons of solar system scaled to Earths Moon A natural satellite is a moon (not capitalized), that is, any natural object that orbits a planet. ... An artists conception of a spacecraft aerobraking Aerobraking is a technique used by spacecraft in which it uses drag within a planetary atmosphere to reduce its velocity relative to the planet. ...


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Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (3380 words)
Orbital insertion placed the orbiter in a highly elliptical polar orbit with a period of approximately 35.5 hours.
Shortly after insertion, the periapsis — the point in the orbit closest to Mars — was 3,806 km from the planet's center (426 km from its surface).
The apoapsis — the point in the orbit farthest from Mars — was 47,972 km from the planet's center (44,500 km from its surface).
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