Labs / Astronomy
Gravity Slingshot
A probe coasts past a planet that is itself racing along its orbit. Drag left or right to aim the flyby, then watch the trail bend and the speed readout jump. Pass behind the planet and it drags you forward; pass ahead and it slows you down — the same trick that flings real spacecraft across the Solar System.
approach 9.0 km/sspeed now 9.0 km/sbend —Δv —
What to try
- The planet never touches the probe, so where does the extra speed come from?
- Aim behind the planet, then ahead of it. Which side gives a boost, and which brakes?
- Speed now spikes near the planet and then settles — why doesn't the probe keep that peak speed?
- Crank up the planet's velocity. How big can the Δv assist grow, and is there a ceiling near twice the planet's speed?
- Aim for a near miss with a tiny offset. How sharply can gravity bend the path before the probe whips all the way around?