Gravity Assist
In orbital mechanics and aerospace engineering, a gravitational slingshot, gravity assist maneuver, or swing-by is the use of the relative movement and gravity of a planet or other celestial body to alter the path and speed of a spacecraft, typically in order to save propellant, time, and expense. Gravity assistance can be used to accelerate (both positively and negatively) and/or re-direct the path of a spacecraft.
The "assist" is provided by the motion of the gravitating body as it pulls on the spacecraft. The technique was first proposed as a mid-course manoeuvre in 1961, and used by interplanetary probes from Mariner 10 onwards, including the two Voyager probes' notable fly-bys of Jupiter and Saturn.
Read more about Gravity Assist: Explanation, Historical Origins of The Method, Why Gravitational Slingshots Are Used, Limits To Slingshot Use, Powered Slingshots
Famous quotes containing the words gravity and/or assist:
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