Michael Minovitch

Michael Andrew Minovitch (born c. 1936)[1] is 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]

Michael A. Minovitch
NationalityAmerican
Alma materCalifornia
UCLA
Known forCalculating spacecraft trajectories
Scientific career
FieldsMathematics
Doctoral advisorShoshichi Kobayashi

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. 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 (TM-312-118). {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  3. Minovitch, Michael (August 23, 1961). "A Method For Determining Interplanetary Free-Fall Reconnaissance Trajectories" (PDF). Jet Propulsion Laboratory Technical Memos (TM-312-130): 38–44. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  4. "The Pioneer Missions". 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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