Homework answers / question archive / Part 1: NASA is launching a rocket into space from Earth

Part 1: NASA is launching a rocket into space from Earth

Physics

Share With

Part 1: NASA is launching a rocket into space from Earth. This particular rocket burns its fuel for 5 minutes and then turns off its engines. At this point, the rocket keeps floating along through space at a speed of 10 km/s. What is the rocket's average acceleration during these first 5 minutes? Part 2: How far did the rocket travel during the first 5 minutes? Part 3: The Moon is approximately 3.8.105 km from Earth. At its final speed, how long will it take the rocket to reach the Moon? Part 4: The star nearest to us, called Alpha Centauri, is 4.1.1013 km away. Could this rocket get a man to Alpha Centauri before he dies of old age? (This is a real obstacle to NASA's plans of exploring other solar systems than our own!) Part 5: The rocket is half way to the Moon when its pilot suddenly notices he forgot his camera! He radios a second rocket crew on Earth and tells them to bring his camera and meet him on the Moon when he lands. Unfortunately, the second rocket can only accelerate at 3 m/s?. Can this second rocket make it to the Moon before the first one lands?