What is the gravatational slingshot?

Answer 1

The phenomenon is not easily observable on earth, because no object on earth has enough mass to matter compared with the earth's gravity. In space, we can use a planet or the sun to perform this feat with a spacecraft (SC). Rocket fuel is heavy, so a SC carries just enough fuel to go to orbit. When a SC is launched, most rocket fuel will be expended to achieve the escape velocity. The rest of the fuel will be used to change orbits or directions. A SC launched to explore the planets of the solar system will not have enough fuel to do its complete mission. Scientists devised a clever technique to make use of the gravity of a planet being visited and fire the rocket at the right moment to change the direction of flight to the next planet. The SC can preserve enough fuel to achieve its mission when it hops from one planet to the next using the least amount of rocket fuel possible by being 'slung' by each planet in its journey. Not to worry about human flights. It takes about one year just to travel to Mars, and no SC of today can conceivably make it back to earth before the human expires, using slingshots.

Answer 2

The gravitational slingshot, also known as a gravity assist maneuver, is a technique used in spaceflight to boost the speed of a spacecraft using the gravitational pull of a planet or other celestial body. By carefully planning the trajectory of the spacecraft, it can gain energy from the planet's gravity to increase its velocity without using additional fuel. This technique has been utilized in various space missions, including those to explore outer planets and study comets.