3 ms·
Moreover, "three body problem" is generally meant to mean the three bodies with comparable mass, so they influence each others trajectory. But in this case, Mas
by alphaBetaGamma 14y ago
Moreover, "three body problem" is generally meant to mean the three bodies with comparable mass, so they influence each others trajectory. But in this case, Mass_sun >> Mass_planet >> Mass_probe, which greatly simplifies the problem.
Nonetheless, kudos to the guy to understand that a gravitational slingshot is possible, and proving it.
- gizmo686 14y agoTheoretically, that doesn't simplify the problem at all. Practically, we can say that Mass_probe=0, in which case we have a 2-body problem. We need to do that even if we do find a closed form solution to the n-body problem (which might be provably impossible), becuase in reality there is an infinite number of bodys in the system.