The satellite sweeps out equal areas in equal time (Kepler). As its distance from the sun gets smaller, its speed has to get bigger to sweep out the same area per hour.
There is no torque on the thing. Torque is rate of change of angular momentum. No torque ---> constant angular momentum.
I have a drawing of a satellite orbiting the sun in an elliptical shape. The sun is closer to the right side of the ellipse.
As the satellite travels from the left side of the ellipse to the right, the speed increases and the angular momentum remains constant. Why?????
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