Abstract

Investigative analysis of Kepler?s laws of planetary motion lead to the revelation that Newton?s laws of mechanics are incomplete and improperly correlated with his universal law of gravitation. It is subsequently shown that even Galileo?s discovery that all objects fall at the same rate is only conditionally true. Ironically, it is Newton?s modification of Kepler?s third law of planetary motion that provided the insights leading to these discoveries, including the required modification of Newton?s universal law of gravitation. During the ensuing formalization process, Newton?s laws of mechanics are expanded as required, and correctly incorporated into an expanded version of the universal law of gravitation. The newly interpreted, and properly correlated laws are concurrently and subsequently validated through mathematical analysis and found to be in full agreement with Kepler?s laws, and consistent with Newton?s, and Einstein?s earlier determined fundamental principles of equivalence involving gravitational and inertial forces. The broad extent by which the physical, and astronomical, sciences are affected by this work gives evidence of the fundamental nature of the discoveries presented.