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Revision as of 05:41, 1 June 2015 by 173.245.48.104 (talk) (Created page with "This comic refers to a {{w|Gravity_assist}} maneuver which allows spacecraft to travel faster with less propellant by "slingshotting" around a large mass. In this case, Steve...")
This comic refers to a Gravity_assist maneuver which allows spacecraft to travel faster with less propellant by "slingshotting" around a large mass. In this case, Steve was responsible for the calculations for the maneuver to intercept the dwarf planet Pluto, but has made a mistake which caused New_Horizons to return to Earth instead. The nature of planetary orbits is such that it is likely impossible to correct for this error with the fuel remaining in the spacecraft, dooming the $650m mission to failure.
