Re: Overheard on the scanner

In article <g53iqg$ndc$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
"Keith F. Lynch" <kfl@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

The most efficient vehicle in pure joules/kg/km is the International
Space Station. It took a lot of joules to put it in orbit, but it's
traveled a tremendous number of kilometers since then.

But not without additional orbital adjustments from its on-board
engines.

The ISS is low enough that there IS some atmospheric drag on the
structure, and it's been gaining mass as well. The orbit is boosted on a
regular basis.

I'd wager Voyager has it substantially beaten. After all, it got a lot
of its velocity boost for free via slingshot maneuvers, and it's been
flying faster, longer.

http://www.space-multimedia.nl.eu.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=v
iew&id=2157&Itemid=25 mentions one such adjustment at the end of the
article.

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