# Speed gained by gravitational sling shot... how?

**URL:** https://forum.kirupa.com/t/speed-gained-by-gravitational-sling-shot-how/268445
**Category:** Uncategorized
**Created:** [August 13, 2008, 10:36pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/speed-gained-by-gravitational-sling-shot-how/268445 "2008-08-13T22:36:46Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![randomagain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@randomagain](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/randomagain)
#### Post date: [August 13, 2008, 10:36pm UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/speed-gained-by-gravitational-sling-shot-how/268445/1 "2008-08-13T22:36:46Z")

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ok I am rusty, and I want appear smart arse but forgotten the mechanics

probes gain speed by diving towards a planet, reaching greater than escape velocity and shooting off the other side

f= ma  
p=mv

the planet has greater mass, the force acting between the two objects is equal, hence the accelleration of the probe is greater?