noun
- a flight path in which a spacecraft uses the gravitational field of a planet or moon to alter its course and speed
Usage: aerospace
Examples
- The spacecraft performed a swingby of Venus to gain speed for its journey to Jupiter.
- NASA used a lunar swingby to redirect the probe toward the outer planets.
- The mission plan included multiple swingbys to reach the target destination efficiently.
- Engineers calculated the precise timing needed for the Mars swingby maneuver.
- The Voyager probes used planetary swingbys to explore the outer solar system.
- A Jupiter swingby can provide enough velocity to escape the solar system.