MCGRATH@OZ.AI.MIT.EDU ("Jim McGrath") (01/03/86)
>From: Bob English <lcc.bob@locus.ucla.edu> >> From: FIRTH@tl-20b.arpa >> Launch the two masses so that they meet at the point of intersection, one >> inbound and one outbound (and they had both better be on their first orbits, >> of course). Let the masses be equal. Then, they meet when traveling at >> the same speed (but in different directions), and with the same energy. >> Somehow, get then to join into one bigger mass. The combined mass will >> then be traveling in a new orbit... > ...Most of the orbital energy will be lost in the collision between > the objects, and there won't be much left to keep them up there. I > suspect this is a dead end. Maybe not. This conversation has concentrated on having EQUAL masses collide. While that simplifies the math, it is by no means necessary. I expect that you could have two UNEQUAL masses collide, with the smaller one being just large enough to force the larger into a stable orbit. Of course, you may lose the smaller mass, but if the mass ratios are large this will be an acceptable loss. Numbers anyone? Jim -------