> The orbit altitude of an object is determined by its rotational speed
> above the earth.  If you want a higher orbit, start spinning around the
> earth faster, lower, slow yourself down.

Actually, I think this is backwards.  I'm no expert, but after reading Gene
Krantz' autobiography, I reacll that NASA had lots of problems with stuff
like this until they realized that at a lower orbit, a body must revolve
around the earch much faster to keep it in orbit.  Any experts out there who
can clarify?

> A space station like MIR was
> at a very low orbit to begin with, and its size would make it so it
> could orbit much further from the earth than any satellite and still
> orbit earth (ie, not break away).

Does the size of a body have any effect on its orbit?  I know that force is
a constant times em-one times em-two over r-squared, but the relationship of
masses (earth and Mir) is probably close enough to the relationship of Earth
to, say, a golf ball, that there would be no difference.

Just curious.

-Matt

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