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The Shuttle Catches Up to Mir!
Initially, the shuttle's altitude is less than Mir's so that the shuttle actually goes around the Earth faster than Mir. (Remember that the smaller the altitude of a circular orbit, the smaller its orbital period.)
When the shuttle has caught up with Mir, engines are fired to raise its altitude to 250 miles to match that of Mir's. The inclination of the orbit does not change, only the altitude
Shuttle-Mir Docking
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Shuttle's Orbit
before Docking
Mir's Orbit
Important Facts About the Shuttle's Orbit:
| altitude: | before docking | 200 miles |
| | after docking | 250 miles |
| inclination: | | 51.6 degrees |
| period: | | 90 miles |
| speed: | | 17,500 miles/hour (5 miles/second)
| 7/17/96 | Page 6.12 |