Fly-By of Planets: How Does it Work & Get Energy?

  • Thread starter Thread starter airbuzz
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Planets
AI Thread Summary
Fly-bys utilize the gravitational influence of planets to accelerate spacecraft, allowing them to gain kinetic energy greater than their initial potential energy. As a spacecraft approaches a planet, it accelerates by converting potential energy into kinetic energy, and while in the planet's gravitational field, it gains a portion of the planet's orbital velocity. Although energy gained while entering the gravity well is lost upon exit, the spacecraft benefits from the slingshot effect, which adds to its speed. This process enables missions to reach distant targets, like Saturn, despite limited launch power. Understanding this mechanism clarifies how spacecraft can achieve higher velocities through gravitational assists.
airbuzz
Messages
34
Reaction score
0
How does fly-by works? How is it possible that after fly-by I have more energy than before? Where do I take it?
 
Engineering news on Phys.org
I thought fly by of planets used the gravity of the planet to "sling-shot" the object past. Stuff like the mission to Saturn/ titan used it to accellerate the craft since the launcher was not powerful enough.
 
I know what it does, but I don´t understand how it works...
When I come closer to a planet i accelerate because some of my potential energy transforms in kinetic. The opposite happens when I get far from it. But with fly-by they obtain a kinetic energy bigger than the initial potential energy. From where arrives this energy? I think from the planet, but how?
 
The passing satellite picks up the ORBITAL velocity (at least a portion of it) of the body it is passing. You are correct that all energy gained from entering the gravity well of the planetary body is lost on exit. But all the time the satellite is in the gravitational influence of the planetary body it is being drug along with the orbital motion. This is the slingshot velocity.
 
Integral said:
The passing satellite picks up the ORBITAL velocity (at least a portion of it) of the body it is passing. You are correct that all energy gained from entering the gravity well of the planetary body is lost on exit. But all the time the satellite is in the gravitational influence of the planetary body it is being drug along with the orbital motion. This is the slingshot velocity.

Great!
I was thinking something like that. Thank you very much!
 
Posted June 2024 - 15 years after starting this class. I have learned a whole lot. To get to the short course on making your stock car, late model, hobby stock E-mod handle, look at the index below. Read all posts on Roll Center, Jacking effect and Why does car drive straight to the wall when I gas it? Also read You really have two race cars. This will cover 90% of problems you have. Simply put, the car pushes going in and is loose coming out. You do not have enuff downforce on the right...
Thread 'Physics of Stretch: What pressure does a band apply on a cylinder?'
Scenario 1 (figure 1) A continuous loop of elastic material is stretched around two metal bars. The top bar is attached to a load cell that reads force. The lower bar can be moved downwards to stretch the elastic material. The lower bar is moved downwards until the two bars are 1190mm apart, stretching the elastic material. The bars are 5mm thick, so the total internal loop length is 1200mm (1190mm + 5mm + 5mm). At this level of stretch, the load cell reads 45N tensile force. Key numbers...
I'm trying to decide what size and type of galvanized steel I need for 2 cantilever extensions. The cantilever is 5 ft. The space between the two cantilever arms is a 17 ft Gap the center 7 ft of the 17 ft Gap we'll need to Bear approximately 17,000 lb spread evenly from the front of the cantilever to the back of the cantilever over 5 ft. I will put support beams across these cantilever arms to support the load evenly

Similar threads

Replies
3
Views
1K
Replies
1
Views
2K
Replies
2
Views
2K
Replies
15
Views
1K
Replies
23
Views
2K
Replies
19
Views
269
Replies
8
Views
1K
Back
Top