Open Question
Ten days after it was launched toward Mars in December 1998, the Mars Climate Orbiter spacecraft (mass 629 kg) was 2.87 * 10^6 km from the earth and traveling at 1.20 * 10^4 km/h relative to the earth. At this time, what were (a) the spacecraft's kinetic energy relative to the earth and (b) the potential energy of the earth–spacecraft system?