Orbital Resonances

Orbital resonance is a phenomenon that occurs when two orbiting bodies exert a regular, periodic gravitational influence on each other, resulting in their orbital periods being related by a ratio of two small integers. This can cause the bodies to become locked into a specific configuration, such as moons being tidally locked to their host planet. Orbital resonances can also be used to transfer energy between bodies, such as in the case of gravitational slingshot maneuvers used by spacecraft to gain speed or change direction. The study of orbital resonances is important in space and astronautical engineering as it can affect the stability and predictability of spacecraft trajectories and the behavior of celestial bodies in the solar system.
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