Whatever speed an objet may gain while entering orbit should be lost when exiting it, right ?
That is true from the frame of reference of the planet. From the frame of a 3rd distant object that you want to accelerate towards, it appears you have gained momentum.
So I guess it’s the cinetic energy of the planet that is actually fuelling the spacecraft, isn’t it ?
Yes, but the mechanism for ‘extracting’ the kinetic energy from the planet is by using ‘gravity’, hence the name, “Gravitational Slingshot”.
tiramichu@sh.itjust.works 3 weeks ago
Yes. If the planet was stationary in space, it wouldn’t work. Approach from ‘behind’ the planet and you get a boost, approach from the ‘front’ and you hit the brakes.