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[–] 5 points 1 year ago* (2 children)

What bothers me is I often read they are using the planet's gravity to gain speed. Whatever speed an objet may gain while entering orbit should be lost when exiting it, right ? So I guess it's the cinetic energy of the planet that is actually fuelling the spacecraft, isn't it ?

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  • [–] 3 points 1 year ago

    Whatever speed an objet may gain while entering orbit should be lost when exiting it, right ?

    That is true from the frame of reference of the planet. From the frame of a 3rd distant object that you want to accelerate towards, it appears you have gained momentum.

    So I guess it’s the cinetic energy of the planet that is actually fuelling the spacecraft, isn’t it ?

    Yes, but the mechanism for 'extracting' the kinetic energy from the planet is by using 'gravity', hence the name, "Gravitational Slingshot".

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