slingshot effect
Planetary speed steal
The slingshot effect is a spaceflight maneuver that uses a planet's gravity and motion to accelerate a spacecraft, changing its speed or direction without using fuel.
The spacecraft swings close to the planet and effectively borrows momentum from it: The Voyager probes used the slingshot effect to reach the outer planets.
Also called a gravity assist.
- swingbyBrief casual visit
- flybyClose pass without landing
- gravitational slingshotMomentum borrowed from orbiting bodies
- gravity-assistSpacecraft trajectory boost technique
- Hohmann transferMinimum-energy orbital transition
delta-v · rocket fuel · space probes · escape velocity · projectile · trajectory · orbital mechanics · interplanetary travel · energy transfer · gravity wells · gravity well · gravitational force · interplanetary missions · deep space · orbital velocity · kinetic energy · potential energy · slingshot
slingshot effectdeceleration
Decrease in speed
aerobraking · drag · atmospheric drag · slowdown · orbital decay
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