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From: rimey@ernie.BERKELEY.EDU (Ken &)
Newsgroups: net.physics
Subject: Re: slingshot effect
Message-ID: <10984@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU>
Date: Sat, 16-Nov-85 03:30:08 EST
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Posted: Sat Nov 16 03:30:08 1985
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wpallen@watale.UUCP (Warren P. Allen @ U of Waterloo X 2522) writes:
>Can anyone explain to me (in 250 words or less) the famed
>'slingshot' effect that is used to accelerate space probes?
>		. . .
>PS. keep it simple if possible..
>
>thanx

Picture a spacecraft traveling in a hyperbolic trajectory about a
stationary massive body (a planet).  Early, when the spacecraft is
still far away, it moves with constant velocity.  Later, after the
encounter, its velocity has changed direction.

Now look at the encounter from a reference frame moving with the
spacecraft's initial velocity.  What you see is a moving planet
approaching a stationary spacecraft and sending the spacecraft flying
away.

I think that's all there is to the slingshot effect.  Its more like
using a sling than a slingshot.

						Ken Rimey
						ucbvax!rimey
						rimey@dali.berkeley.EDU