An astronaut is repairing a communications satellite in deep space. She is float

Question

An astronaut is repairing a communications satellite in deep space. She is floating at rest with respect to her spaceship that is 45m away from the satellite. The astronaut is not connected to her spaceship in any way and uses a jet-pack to maneuver around near the satellite. The jet-pack suddenly stops working just when the astronaut finishes her work and wants to return to the spaceship. She doesn't want to touch the satellite (because she might change its position) but she has a high-tech power screwdriver (with a mass of 0.95kg) that she has been using to repair the satellite.

1) How can the astronaut use this power tool to get back to her ship? Explain the physics of the method you choose.

2) Estimate how much time it will take her to get back to her ship. In other words, use physics principles to calculate the time it will take her. Make reasonable estimates for whatever quantities you need in your calculations.

Explanation / Answer

1) she will just through the screw driver opposite to ger desired direction of travel wih a certain velocity which will push her in the opposite direction (to that of the screw driver) and she can reach the space station. here conservation of momentum is being used. 2)

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