Problem
A satellite rotates around the Earth in the equatorial plane at 16,000 km/h moving in the direction of rotation of the planet. To reenter into the atmosphere, the speed is reduced by 1,000 km/h by firing a small rocket in the direction opposite that of the satellite's motion:
(a) What are the velocity vectors of the satellite before and immediately after firing the rocket?
(b) Find the scaling factor of the original velocity vector required to get the satellite to its new speed.