Michael Minovitch

Michael A. Minovitch
NationalityAmerican
Alma materUniversity of California, Berkeley
University of California, Los Angeles
Known forCalculating spacecraft trajectories
Scientific career
FieldsMathematics
Thesis Mathematical Methods for the Design of Gravity Thrust Space Trajectories  (1970)
Doctoral advisorShoshichi Kobayashi

Michael Andrew Minovitch (c. 1936 - 16 September 2022)[1] was an American mathematician who developed gravity assist technique when he was a UCLA graduate student and working summers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.[2][3]

In 1961 Minovitch began using the fastest available computer at the time, the IBM 7090, to solve the three-body problem. He ran simulations and developed his own solution by 1962.[1]

The first mission to use a gravity assist was Pioneer 10, which increased its velocity from 52,000 km/h to 132,000 km/h as it passed by Jupiter in December, 1973.[4][5]

Minovitch patented a vehicle for space travel under the patent title Magnetic propulsion system and operating method, US Patent 6193194 B1.

References

  1. ^ a b Christopher Riley and Dallas Campbell (October 23, 2012). "The maths that made Voyager possible". BBC News. Retrieved 2014-10-14.
  2. ^ Minovitch, Michael (July 11, 1961), An Alternative Method for Determination of Elliptic and Hyperbolic Trajectories (PDF), Jet Propulsion Laboratory Technical Memos
  3. ^ Minovitch, Michael (August 23, 1961), A Method For Determining Interplanetary Free-Fall Reconnaissance Trajectories (PDF), Jet Propulsion Laboratory Technical Memos, pp. 38–44
  4. ^ "The Pioneer Missions". www.nasa.gov. March 26, 2007. Retrieved 2015-01-29.
  5. ^ Bill Casselman. "Slingshots and Space shots". American Mathematical Society. Retrieved 2015-01-29.


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