What is the gravitational slingshot effect?
Table of Contents
- 1 What is the gravitational slingshot effect?
- 2 How does the Earth’s orbit relate to gravitational forces?
- 3 How do spacecrafts orbit the Earth?
- 4 What is the escape velocity of a spacecraft?
- 5 What happens when a one-ton spacecraft passes Jupiter?
- 6 How does the speed of a spacecraft change as it approaches planets?
What is the gravitational slingshot effect?
In orbital mechanics and aerospace engineering, a gravitational slingshot, gravity assist maneuver, or swing-by is the use of the relative movement (e.g. orbit around the Sun) and gravity of a planet or other astronomical object to alter the path and speed of a spacecraft, typically to save propellant and reduce …
How does the Earth’s orbit relate to gravitational forces?
Earth’s orbit around the Sun can be understood in similar terms. All objects attract one another, including Earth and the Sun. The force of this attraction—or gravitational pull—depends on the size of the objects. Instead, it travels in a nearly circular motion around the Sun, creating an orbit.
How do spacecrafts orbit the Earth?
The satellite stays in orbit because it still has momentum—energy it picked up from the rocket—pulling it in one direction. Earth’s gravity pulls it in another direction. This balance between gravity and momentum keeps the satellite orbiting around Earth.
How does gravity create the orbits of planets?
The sun’s gravity pulls the planet toward the sun, which changes the straight line of direction into a curve. This keeps the planet moving in an orbit around the sun. Because of the sun’s gravitational pull, all the planets in our solar system orbit around it.
How does a gravity assist around a planet affect a spacecraft?
A gravity assist around a planet changes a spacecraft’s velocity (relative to the Sun) by entering and leaving the gravitational sphere of influence of a planet.
What is the escape velocity of a spacecraft?
Escape velocity is the speed at which an object must travel to break free of a planet or moon’s gravitational force and enter orbit. A spacecraft leaving the surface of Earth, for example, needs to be going about 11 kilometers (7 miles) per second, or over 40,000 kilometers per hour (25,000 miles per hour), to enter orbit.
What happens when a one-ton spacecraft passes Jupiter?
Therefore, a one-ton spacecraft passing Jupiter will theoretically cause the planet to lose approximately 5 x 10 −25 km/s of orbital velocity for every km/s of velocity relative to the Sun gained by the spacecraft.
How does the speed of a spacecraft change as it approaches planets?
The spacecraft’s speed increases as it approaches the planet and decreases while escaping its gravitational pull (which is approximately the same), but because the planet orbits the Sun, the spacecraft is affected by this motion during the maneuver.