Time to clear up some misconceptions and show how a spacecraft’s close encounter with a planet can change a spacecraft’s orbit and enable trajectories beyond its available delta-v. I specifically cover some of the math and look at the unusual trajectory employed by the OSIRIS REx mission.

The science of Aerothermodynamics covers what happens during a spacecraft’s fiery flight through a planetary atmosphere as it sheds speed, converting kinetic energy into thermal energy. This represents a complex interaction between fluid mechanics, thermal radiation and chemistry. The engineering required to shield hardware against this intense heating is an equally complex multi disciplinary art. If you want to learn the math then this course offered an excellent overview: https://tfaws.nasa.gov/TFAWS12/Procee…