From my limited understanding of orbital mechanics from playing Kerbal Space Program, the furthest point of the orbit (aphelion) is where you reach minimum velo

From my limited understanding of orbital mechanics from playing Kerbal Space Program, the furthest point of the orbit (aphelion) is where you reach minimum velocity. So to leave the Earth, you accelerate a lot (the so called burn) so that your orbit grows and as you get there your speed has been decreasing the whole way, and it increases back again after passing aphelion on your way back to Earth (perihelion).