Is it possible to send a body from earth so it becomes satellite of the moon?

Question

under what conditions? (we cosider that air resistance = 0)

Answer 1

Apollo 10, May 1969

Answer 2

More than air resistance,earths gravity is to be overcome for which we need thrustSo rockets are needed.

Answer 3

As others have pointed out,  the astronauts who landed on the moon left a module parked in an orbit round the moon. That orbit was certainly stable for a few days. I have no idea about long term stability, except that there have occasionally been reports that there (is/are) (a/some) natural satellite(s) of the moon. Again, I have not evaluated these claims. If you are implying a question about a rocket impulse and switching off all engines as soon as the body leaves the atmosphere of the Earth, I claim it is unlikely. The body would have too much kinetic energy to settle in to a moon orbit that never came close to the Earth.

Answer 4

thats very interesting. there would be a very large pull from the earth so i don't think it would be possible unless the object was very close to the moon and moving at a great speed. it would be allot easier to get something to orbit both the earth and the moon in a figure of eight.

Answer 5

Your question started out fine. Yes, we can do that. We have done that.

then your statements become strange:

"about rocks! not about real satellite"

rocks are satellites! real satellites!

"rock from earth without any engines"

How can we launch anything from earth without engines!

Answer 6

as far as i know.. no.

Answer 7

It's not only possible, it's history.  During the Apollo landings, the command/service module remained in orbit around the Moon while the lander was on the surface.  Other spacecraft have been placed into orbit around the Moon also, like the Lunar Prospector.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunar_Prosp...

The trick to staying in orbit around the Moon is that you have to be close enough to the Moon that the Earth's gravity doesn't disrupt your orbit.  The gravitational sphere of influence around a body is called the Hill sphere.  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hill_radius

Using the formula given in the above link, and assuming a circular orbit, a satellite can be placed in orbit around the Moon only if its orbital radius is less than 61,700 km, or 59,900 km above the Moon's surface.  At this distance, it would take about 382 hours to orbit the Moon once.  So, as long as your lunar satellite has an orbital period of less than 382 hours, it should remain in orbit around the Moon indefinitely.

One last thing: minor perturbations can change a body's orbit.  For MAXIMUM assurance that the satellite will remain in orbit around the Moon, I'd probably park it well inside the Hill radius.  You know, just in case...

I hope that helps.  Good luck!

EDIT:  Ooooh, I see what you're asking.  Well now, that's a whole new animal.  You're going to face a big problem.  Accelerating the rock enough to reach the Moon in the first place, and figuring out how to slow it down once it gets there.  Usually, in order to travel from one body to another, you move into a transfer orbit.  For example, to go from Earth to the Moon (normally), you'd launch into orbit around the Earth first, then elongate your orbit using a thruster burn until your orbit crosses the path of the Moon (timing is essential here).  Once you've reached the Moon, you'd fire your thrusters again to circularize your orbit around the Moon.

So how do you do that if you don't have thrusters?  That's a good question.  The Hill sphere problem still applies, and you'd want to launch your rock at such a speed and angle that it would have slowed to the proper orbital speed by the time it reaches the desired orbital distance from the Moon.  I don't honestly know how it could be done (an air pressure catapult, perhaps?), but then, I'm not an astrophysicist.  I feel quite certain that it could be done, even if I don't know how.

Answer 8

It is probably possible, but it would cost a boat load of money.

Answer 9

We can, we have, and we will do it again.

But the problem is that the gravity of earth and the sun disturbs the orbit of satellites orbiting the moon.  After a few weeks or months, they tend to either get flung off into open space, or crash into the moon.  So they need to have fuel and thrusters on board to make adjustments.  A long-term stable lunar orbit apparently doesn't exist.

Now, in theory you could park something at a LaGrange point, and it would stay there with no adjustments forever.  But these points tend to accumulate junk, so the points could be crowded with rocks, asteroids, dust, etc.  You may have to design your satellite to be able to withstand this sort of thing.

Answer 10

Sure.  It is possible and has been done.  See the history of U.S. space flight effort and the Lunar landings.