flyby
Quick overhead swoop
A flyby is a flight passing close to a target without landing or stopping.
Spacecraft make flybys of planets to gather data: The probe completed a flyby of Jupiter.
Aircraft perform flybys as ceremonial displays or shows of force.
Also spelled fly-by.
Icy orbiting body
- asteroidSun-orbiting rocky mass
- planetStar-orbiting spherical body
- moonNatural planetary satellite
- JupiterLargest solar system planet
Saturn · Pluto · encounter · observation · telescope · transit · celestial · approach
Thorough examination or tool
- trajectoryPath of moving object
- orbitCurved celestial path
- gravity-assistSpacecraft trajectory boost technique
- slingshotForked projectile launcher
encounter · rendezvous · NASA · Voyager · New Horizons · Cassini · Juno · spacecraft
Passing very quickly
- briefShort in duration
- momentaryLasting very briefly
- glanceBrief, casual look
- cursoryHasty and incomplete
passing · quick · snapshot · overview · skim · scan · reconnaissance · survey
comet
Icy orbiting body
Jupiter · Saturn · Pluto · encounter · observation · telescope · transit · celestial · approach · trajectory
probe
Thorough examination or tool
- trajectoryPath of moving object
- orbitCurved celestial path
- gravity-assistSpacecraft trajectory boost technique
slingshot · encounter · rendezvous · NASA · Voyager · New Horizons · Cassini · Juno · spacecraft · satellite
fleeting
Passing very quickly
cursory · passing · quick · snapshot · overview · skim · scan · reconnaissance · survey · once-over
overflight
Transit through airspace
- formationCreation or arrangement
- airshowPublic flight demonstration
- low-passFrequency-limiting circuit
salute · tribute · aircraft · jets · squadron · parade · display · ceremonial · commemoration · aviation
- spacespace, sun, moon, stars, star
- space explorationrockets, Saturn V, satellites, mission, Falcon Heavy
- spaceflightlaunch, astronaut, spacecraft, liftoff, orbit
- space operationsrocket launch, docking, spacewalk, EVA, landing
- flight eventstakeoff, landing, liftoff, flight, launch
- spacecraft maneuversburn, docking, deorbit, rendezvous, gravity assist
flybylanding
Descent's final moment
touchdown · rendezvous · docking · arrival · splashdown
flybyencampment
Temporary military or refugee settlement
stay · orbit · permanent residence · residence · lingering
- when pigs flyExpressing utter impossibility
- on the flyDone without preparation
- flying saucerDisc-shaped alien vehicle
- fly a kiteOutdoor wind-powered recreation
- fly swatterHandheld bug killer
- flying trapezeSuspended bar for aerialists