The way Apollo 11 was headed as it passed the Moon, the lunar gravity would have pulled it right round and sent it off on a heading back to Earth. This was the free return trajectory designed into the early missions as a safety factor. If the astronauts did nothing at this point they would still come home safely.
Hm, according NASA the Apollo 11 fired its rocket engine to get into permanent Moon orbit at 1500 m/s and at suitable altitude. I assume you agree that purpose of firing the rocket engine was to slow down? Pls advise.
The LOI burn was designed to reduce the spacecraft's speed relative to the Moon.
It seems ~10 tons of fuel was used for this maneuver. Do you agree? Pls advise.
Yes, about that, according to the Apollo Flight Journal:
http://history.nasa.gov/ap11fj/11day4-loi1.htmAccording you, had Apollo 11 not fired its rocket, it would still go into Moon orbit and, after half an orbit, Apollo 11 would escape Moon orbit again and return to Earth - free return trajectory. Are you certain? Pls advise.
It wouldn't enter and leave orbit. It would swing around the Moon, its trajectory bent by the Moon's gravity.
Right, so you also don't understand orbital mechanics. Read this page:
http://www.braeunig.us/space/orbmech.htmDo you not think that a spacecraft's path past a planet might differ depending on how fast it's going?
Has any meteor arriving close to Earth ever got into Earth orbit and then ... WHOOPS - escaped again out of orbit - a free return? Small meteors burn up, big meteors crash. Pls explain about free meteor return!
Right, you've completely missed the point. Meteors passing close to the Earth very quickly don't enter orbit and then leave. They just whip by, their paths bent by the Earth's gravity. The amount of bending depends on how fast the meteor is going and how close it passes to the Earth. Exactly the same with Apollo 11 (and 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17) and the Moon.
In my opinion you could never escape from Moon gravity/orbit unless you applied a new force to your space ship, e.g. by using your rocket engine.
That's correct -
if you actually enter orbit in the first place. In the case of Apollo, that was the Trans-Earth Injection burn. But if you don't slow down in the first place, you don't enter lunar orbit.
Moon gravity may change your course, pull you into orbit or pull you so you crash. Probability for a 180° course change is 0.
Can you show us your calculations for that.
In order to win my Challenge - see post #1 - I feel you have to understand these basic questions.
In order to win your Challenge we need to know the money exists. Please provide proof.
