Re: OT: Jupiter Probe

On May 2, 7:17 pm, riverman <myronb...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
On May 2, 6:43 pm, "Peter A. Collin" <pcol...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

I was just reading about the latest pictures from Jupiter. I am always
confused when NASA talks about the "gravity boost" space probes get from
large planets. In this case, the New Horizons is shaving 3 years off
its journey to Pluto by doing so. I can understand the gravity of
Jupiter accelerates the probe as it approaches the planet for its
fly-by. But wouldn't Jupiter's gravity also slow the probe down after
it passed, producing no net gain? Can somebody explain this to me?

Peter Collin

I'm no rocket scientist, but you have to take into consideration that
the planet that is being used to boost the satellite is itself moving
around the sun. Yes, the rocket leaves Jupiter at the same speed that
it approached it, relative to Jupiter. But it gains velocity equal to
Jupiter's revolutionary speed around the sun.

--riverman

http://www2.jpl.nasa.gov/basics/grav/primer.html

.

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