Premium Only Content

How Do Spacecraft Slow Down? We Asked a NASA Technologist
Spacecraft slowing down in space is a crucial aspect of space exploration, and NASA technologists play a pivotal role in making it happen. To understand this process better, we spoke to a NASA technologist who shed light on how spacecraft slow down.
When a spacecraft is hurtling through the vast expanse of space, it initially maintains its velocity due to the absence of friction. However, to rendezvous with celestial bodies, enter orbit, or safely return to Earth, slowing down is essential.
One of the primary methods employed by spacecraft to slow down is engine firing. Spacecraft are equipped with rocket engines that expel high-speed propellant, producing thrust in the opposite direction of their motion. This thrust follows Newton's third law of motion: for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. By expelling mass at high speeds in the opposite direction, the spacecraft gradually reduces its velocity.
Additionally, gravity assists can be employed for deceleration. When a spacecraft approaches a celestial body, such as a planet or moon, it can use the body's gravitational pull to its advantage. By executing a carefully planned trajectory, the spacecraft utilizes the planet's gravity to steal some of its momentum, effectively slowing down or altering its course.
Aerobraking is another ingenious technique used to slow down spacecraft. This involves dipping into a planet's atmosphere, where air resistance generates drag that reduces the spacecraft's velocity. Repeated passes through the atmosphere gradually bleed off speed until the desired velocity is achieved.
In some cases, mission planners may opt for more unconventional methods, like utilizing solar sails or deploying drag sails to interact with the solar wind or interstellar medium, respectively, for deceleration.
In conclusion, spacecraft slow down through a combination of engine firings, gravity assists, aerobraking, and innovative technologies, all orchestrated by the expertise of NASA technologists. These methods ensure that spacecraft can achieve their mission objectives and explore the mysteries of the cosmos.
-
1:00:56
The Tom Renz Show
9 hours agoThe War On DOGE Is ALSO A War On The Economy
18.8K5 -
1:30:16
Steve-O's Wild Ride! Podcast
5 days ago $1.26 earnedAri Shaffir Exposes The Dark Side of Podcasting - Wild Ride #252
25.8K3 -
1:56:29
The Quartering
6 hours agoAirplane FLIPS and CRASHES, Sean Duffy Slams Pete Buttigieg, & What Happened with Patriarchy Hannah
78K36 -
37:08
Standpoint with Gabe Groisman
23 hours agoDOGE The UK?! With Liz Truss
41.3K15 -
56:39
SLS - Street League Skateboarding
6 days agoHIGHEST SCORING KNOCKOUT ROUND OF ALL TIME! Felipe Gustavo, Dashawn Jordan, Filipe Mota & more...
30.6K2 -
14:26
Breaking Points
1 day agoWOKE VS BASED?: Saagar And Ryan Play A Game
31.9K6 -
5:29:58
SoundBoardLord
8 hours agoThe Red Dead Journey Continues!!!
29.2K1 -
1:17:31
The Officer Tatum
4 hours agoLIVE: Delta Airlines CRASH BLAMED On Trump, Ashley St. Claire Had Elon's BABY? + More | Ep 63
35.7K38 -
1:38:08
vivafrei
7 hours agoAOC goes Full Criminal Lover? Mehdi Hasan Goes Full Terrorist? Another Plane Crash & MORE! Viva Frei
78.1K39 -
1:52:19
Russell Brand
6 hours agoLIVE FROM MAR A LAGO: US, Russia & China to Negotiate While UK Ramps Up in Ukraine – SF539
150K55