Gravity Assist


Gravity assist, also known as a slingshot maneuver, is a spaceflight technique that uses the gravity of a planet or other celestial body to alter the trajectory and speed of a spacecraft. The spacecraft approaches the planet in a way that takes advantage of the planet's gravity to increase or decrease its speed and change its direction. This technique is commonly used to save fuel and time in interplanetary missions, as it allows spacecraft to reach their destination with less fuel and in a shorter amount of time. Gravity assist has been used in many space missions, including the Voyager missions, the Cassini-Huygens mission to Saturn, and the New Horizons mission to Pluto.


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