Gallo Nash 1

Maria Gallo and Alexandra Nash

11C
18 March 2015
Is There Gravity in Space?
Introduction:
The researchers are trying to find the regression of distance versus the acceleration due to
gravity. Gravity is the force that attracts sonething towards the center of the earth, or toward any
other physical body having mass. The acceleration due to gravity is the acceleration gained by an
object because of gravitational force.
As well as determining the relationship between regression of distance versus the
acceleration due to gravity the researchers will also be answering three questions. The questions
include, is there gravity in Space and how much? How much acceleration due to gravity due
satellites experience?
The questions will be answered using statistical analysis as well as prior knowledge in
physics. Using the equations for the Force of gravity, acceleration due to gravity, and percentage
of gravity learned in physics will give the numbers needed to find the information to determine
the regression of distance versus the acceleration due to gravity. Using statistics the
correlation,r, and the coefficient of determination,r2. The correlation coefficient,r, is the measure
of the degree in which changes to the value of one variable predict the change if another. The
coefficient of determination, r2, determines whether the dependent variable can or cannot be
predicted from the independent variable.

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Background:
ISS:
The ISS is the largest space craft ever built. The first component, the Zarya control
module was launched November 20, 1998. Its estimated cost is 100 billion dollars. It travels 7.7
kilometers per second. So far, to build, maintain or repair the space station, it has taken 147
spacewalks.
MIR:
MIR operated from 1986 to 2001. It was operated by the Soviet Union and then later
Russia. The station was a microgravity research laboratory where experiments in a variety of
sciences were conducted. MIR was the first continuously inhabited long-term research station in
orbit. It set the record for longest continuous human presence in space at 3,644 days. The record
was exceeded on October 23, 2010 by the ISS.
Hubble Telescope:
Hubble was the first world's first space-based optical telescope. The Hubble Telescope
was launched on April 24, 1990. It was named after American astronomer Edwin P. Hubble.
The cost at launch was 1.5 billion dollars. The Hubble Telescopes energy source is the Sun. It
takes 97 minutes for the Hubble to complete one orbit.
Skylab:
Skylab was the first US space station. It was also the world's first big space station.
Skylab was used to study the Sun, Earth, microgravity research, how to live and work in space,

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and more. Skylab had five parts, Orbital Workshop, Airlock Module, Apollo Telescope Mount,
Multiple Docking Adapter, and the Saturn Instrument Unit. It orbited Earth 2,476 times.
Sputnik:
Sputnik was launched October 4, 1957. It was the first artificial satellite successfully in
orbit around the Earth. It also provided the first detection for meteoroids. It operated for three
weeks till the chemical batteries failed. Replicas of Sputnik 1 can be seen in Russian museums.
Aura:
The Aura satellite was launched by NASA in July of 2004. It was put into space to be a
part of the Earth Observing System, and became the third major component. Its purpose was to
study the Earths ozone layer, climate, and air quality. The satellite had four instruments, and
they were used to measure the gas levels, infrared, and ultraviolet rays in the atmosphere.
Aqua:
The Aqua satellite was launched by NASA at the Vandenberg Air Force Base in May of
2002, aboard a Delta II rocket. It was launched to help develop ideas on scientific research
dealing with the study of precipitation, evaporation, and the cycling of water. The Aqua satellite
was the second major component of the Earth Observing System. The satellite is on a sunsynchronous orbit, which is geocentric orbit, which combines both altitude and inclination.
Terra:
The Terra satellite was launched by NASA in December of 1999, and started collecting
data in February of 2000. It was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base. The satellite moves
in a synchronous orbit around the Earth and is the flagship of the Earth Observing System. The

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goal for the Terra satellite was to use its five remote sensors to monitor the Earths environment
and check for ongoing changes in the climate system. The data from the satellite was able to help
scientists get a better understanding of the spread of pollution around the globe.
Salyut 2:
The Salyut 2 was launched by the Soviet space station in 1973. It was launched as a part
of the Salyut program, which was the first was the first program developed by the Soviet Union
and consisted of four research space stations over a 15 year time period. The Salyut 2 was the
first Almaz space station that was able to fly. After two weeks of being operable, the station
became unstable, and reentered the Earths atmosphere in May of 1973, before any manned
crews were able to visit it.
Salyut 5:
The Salyut 5 was also launched by the Soviet space station, but launched in 1976. This
space station was also apart of the Salyut program, and it was the third, and also the last, Almaz
space station to be launched. Two missions ended up being able to visit the station, but a third
mission was attempted, but failed to dock. A fourth mission was also planned, but never
launched.
Galaxy 15:
Galaxy 15 is an American telecommunications satellite and is owned by Intelsat. It was
launched on October 13, 2005. Galaxy 15 was originally placed in geostationary orbit. On April
5, 2010, it stopped answering to commands sent to it by controllers on the ground.

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Moon:
The Moon is the Earths only natural satellite. The Moon is thought to have formed about
4.5 billion years ago. It is in synchronous rotation with Earth. Its gravitational effect produces
the small lengthening of the day and the ocean tides.
Data:
Table 1. Data and Values Calculated
Satellite

Mass(kg)

ISS
MIR
Hubble
Skylab
Sputnik
Salyut 2
Salyut 5
Terra
Aqua
Aura
Galaxy
15
Moon

419600
129700
11110
77088
83.6
7450
7450
5190
2850
2967
2033
7.35E+22

Ave Distance
(km)
6771
6978
6930
6606
6948
6638.5
6617
7083.939
7704.283
6441.983
36000
384400

3649062
1062012
92235.69
704305.5
690.4593
67401.22
67839.94
41235.3
19143.96
28505.58

Acc Due to
Gravity
8.69652587
8.18821977
8.30204248
9.13638268
8.25908244
9.04714397
9.10603156
7.9451444
6.71717969
9.60754156

625.4373
1.98E+20

0.30764256
0.00269827

Fg

Percent of g
88.7400599
83.5532629
84.7147192
93.2283947
84.2763514
92.3177956
92.9186894
81.0729021
68.5426499
98.0361384
3.13920981
0.02753332

Table 1 above shows the data that was collected, which was the mass and the distances,
and the values that were calculated, which was the force of gravity (Fg), Acceleration and the
Percent of g. The calculated values were all found by using the mass and the distances that
were found during researching (See Appendices A, B, and C for sample calculations). The force
of gravity was found first, then acceleration due to gravity and the percent of g could be
calculated afterwards.

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Data Analysis:

Figure 1: Scatterplot of Distance vs. Acceleration Due to Gravity

Figure 1 above shows the scatterplot of the data relating to distance and acceleration due
to gravity. As can be see in the scatterplot, visually, it can be seen that the data is fairly linear.
The data demonstrates a negative slope.
Next, a least squares regression line can be calculated. The line will be modeled where an
expected value is found for the x variable, which will be the acceleration due to gravity with a
given distance away from the Earth.

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Figure 2: Graph with regression line and equation. Least squares regression
The figure above is a graph of the data with the regression line and equation. The line
goes through and is close to the data points again proving the data to be linear. The equation is
y=24.1982+(-0.002284)x. The line proves that the points are fairly linear, with the line
intersecting with almost every point plotted. The expected value for the given value is the
expected acceleration due to gravity for the given satellite with a certain distance away from the
Earth.

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Figure 3: Calculation for Linear Regression Values

The figure above is of the calculator page that had the values of r and r2. R and r2
determine if the data is linear or not. This can be seen by how close to 1 or -1 the value is, the

x1 x
Sx
y y
()( 1
)
closer to one the more linear the data. The equation for r is
. To find r2 you
Sy
n
1
r=

n1
i
subtract the sum of the squares for error (SSE) from the sum of the squares about the mean
(SSM) and divide that by the sum of the squares about the mean. The equation for r2 is

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r 2=

SSM SSE
. The value for r -0.9957 and the value for r2 is 0.9915. Both these values are
SSM

close to -1 and 1 meaning the data is linear.

Once the r and r2 values are found, further testing can be done. A linear regression test can
be conducted, but before it is done, hypothesis must be stated and assumptions must be met.
Hypothesis:
Ho: = 0
Ha: 0
Assumptions:
Linear: Figures 2 and 3 show that the model appears linear
Independent: Data was randomly selected
Normal: Residual plot shows that the data is roughly normal
Equal Standard Deviation: The vertical spread of the residuals is about the same from the
smallest to largest x value
Alpha and Beta Unknown: Alpha and beta were unknown
Random: Data came from a well-designed sample

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Figure 4: Linear Regression Test

Figure 4 shows the linear regression test. To test the hypothesis, a t statistic is used. The

equation for this is

t=

b
S E b . SEb is equal to

( y y )2

n2
2

. The p-value is 1.427x 10-9. This

(x x )

p-value suggests that as distance increases, the acceleration due gravity decreases.

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Figure 5: Confidence Intervals

Figure 5 shows the confidence intervals for the slope of the data. The equation for the
confidence intervals is

b t*SE . The upper confidence level is -0.00246 and the lower is

b

-0.002112. There is 95% confidence that the true slope of the data will fall between -0.00246
and -0.002112.

Figure 6. Scatterplot Including Galaxy 15 and Moon

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Figure 6 shows the scatterplot with the previous data and now includes the data in
relation to Galaxy 15 and the Moon. The distance for the Moon from Earth 384,400km and the
distance for Galaxy 15 from the Earth is 36,000km. The mass of the moon was found to be
7.35E+22kg, while the mass of Galaxy 15 is 2033kg.

Figure 7. Linear Regression Test

Figure 7 shows the linear regression test. To test the hypothesis, a t statistic was used. The

b
t=
equation for this is
S E b . SEb is equal to

( y y )2

n2
2

. The p-value is 7.7x 10-3. This

(x x )

p-value suggests that as distance increases, the acceleration due gravity decreases.

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Figure 8. Linear Regression

The figure above shows the regression test for the data including the Moon and Galaxy
15. As can be seen, the data does not fit a linear regression. The data points do not cross through
the linear regression line, determining that the data is not linear.

Figure 9. Confidence Interval

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Figure 9 shows the confidence intervals for the slope of the data. The equation for the
confidence intervals is b t*SEb. The upper confidence level is -.000037 and the lower is
-.000007. There is 95% confidence that the true slope of the data will fall between -.000037 and
-.000007.
Conclusion:
Reject the null hypothesis because the p-value of 1.427x 10-9 is less than the alpha level
of 0.05. There is significant evidence that as distance increases, the acceleration due to gravity
decreases. There is almost no chance of getting a p-value this small by chance alone if the null is
true.
With this data, the researchers were able to conclude that there is gravity in space. Once
the percent of g, or gravity, was calculated, it was found to have a range from 68% to 98%. For
example, the Terra satellite experiences 41,235.3 N of force by the gravity and 81% of gravity in
space in comparison to the gravity on Earth. However, people will still float in space. This is
because the pull of gravity is more intense on Earth than on an artificial source as the satellite.
Though it is believed by some that there is no gravity in space, gravity is present and needed in
space. For example, when it comes to holding the moon in orbit around the Earth, gravity must
be present. The force of gravity on an object, however, depends on the mass and the distance
between the one object and the other. Knowing this, researchers can determine that the
acceleration due to gravity on artificial satellites depends on these factors as well.

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Appendix A Sample Calculations and Explanation of the Force of Gravity (Fg)

When the force of gravity is calculated, the mass between the two objects must be known
along with the distances between them. The G constant must be known, which is the
gravitational constant. The two masses must be know which are the m1 and the m2 and the
distance between them must also be known which is variable r. The equation is below.

F g=

Gm1m2
d

For example, with the data from the Terra satellite, a sample calculation can be made.
M1 (mass of Earth) = 5.974x1024 kg
M2 (mass of Terra) = 5,190 kg
G = 6.674x10-11 N
Average distance from Earth = 712,939m
Radius of Earth = 6,371,000 m
*The distance from the Earth must be added with the radius of the Earth to get the r value.
R = Distance
R = 6,371,000 + 712,939
R = 7,083,939 m
Now, the equation from above can be used and the variables can be plugged in.
F g=6.6741011

24

5.97410 5190
2
7083939

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F g=41,235 N

The force of gravity in the Terra satellite is 41,235N.

Appendix B Sample Calculation and Explanation of Acceleration of Gravity

The acceleration (a) due to gravity can be calculated when the force of gravity (F) and the initial
mass (m) are known. The Newtons 2nd Law comes into play. This equation ends up being
a=

F
m

For example, with the data from the Terra satellite, a sample calculation can be made.
F = 41,235N
m = 5190kg
a=

F
m

a=

41,235
5190

a=7.945

The acceleration due to gravity on the Terra satellite is 7.945 m/s2.

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Appendix C - Sample Calculations and Explanation of Percent of G

The acceleration due to gravity can be calculated if the acceleration of gravity is known.
The percent of g. The acceleration due to gravity on Earth must also be known to calculate this
value. The equation is as followed.

of g=

100as
aE

For example, with the data from the Terra satellite, a sample calculation can be made.
as = 7.945 m/s2
ae = 9.8 m/s2

of g=

of g=

100a s
aE

1007.945
9.8

of g=81.0729

The percent of g on the Terra satellite is 81.0729%.

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Citations:
Aura. S.l.: DreamCatcher, 2004. Web. 15 Mar. 2015.
<http://atrain.nasa.gov/publications/Aura.pdf>.
"Aura (satellite)." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2015.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aura_(satellite)>.
"Aqua (satellite)." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2015.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aqua_(satellite)>.
Dunbar, Brian. NASA. NASA, n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2015.
<http://www.nasa.gov/missions/shuttle/f_skylab1.html#.VQalomTF-Hw>.
"OSCAR." WMO | Satellite: EOS-Terra. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2015.
<http://www.wmo-sat.info/oscar/satellites/view/81>.
"Salyut Programme." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2015.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salyut_programme>.
"Salyut 2." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2015.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salyut_2>.
"Salyut 5." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2015.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salyut_5>.
"Skylab." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2015.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skylab>.
"Sputnik." Sputnik. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2015. <http://history.nasa.gov/sputnik/>.
"Sputnik 1." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2015.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sputnik_1>.

"Terra Satellite." Terra Satellite. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2015.

<http://planet.iitp.ru/english/spacecraft/terra.htm>.

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