4 ms·

Doesn’t the Oberth effect still work?

• pavel_lishin 3y ago
  Actually, hm, I don't know. If you're approaching a mass in space, and firing your engine close to it - do you end up with a faster relative velocity than if you'd just fired your engines for the same amount of time in empty space? edit: I did the most basic possible amount of research by reading the first paragraph of the wikipedia article (can we call that a milliHbomberguy?), and you're right, you do gain more velocity than just firing your engine in space. Although it puts a limit on where you'll be going after your approach.
  • api 3y ago
    The Oberth effect is fascinating. It sounds like a violation of conservation of energy but it’s not. You can get multiples of thrust. An Oberth effect flyby of a primordial black hole with a high impulse drive like nuclear pulse propulsion would be pretty spicy. It’s a feasible way to achieve speeds close to the speed of light. Acceleration would kill you though. If we did find such an object anywhere within a few light years of the sun it would be a way to send probes out at significant fractions of the speed of light.