Aerobraking
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Aerobraking is a spaceflight maneuver that reduces the high point of an elliptical orbit by flying the vehicle through the atmosphere at the low point of the orbit. The resulting drag slows the spacec
An artist's conception of aerobraking with the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
Magellan (spacecraft)
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The Magellan spacecraft was a 1,035-kilogram robotic space probe launched by NASA on May 4, 1989. Its mission objectives were to map the surface of Venus by using synthetic-aperture radar and to measu
Aerobraking
…by 8665 km. Another aerobraking maneuver was conducted on 30 March. In May 1993, aerobraking was used during the extended Venusian mission of the Magellan spacecraft. It was used to circularize the orbit of the spacecraft in order to increase the precision of the measurement of the gravity field. The entire gravity…
Magellan with its Star 48B solid rocket motor undergoing final checks at the Kennedy Space Center
Magellan being fixed into position inside the payload bay of Atlantis prior to launch
Launch of STS-30 on May 4, 1989
The spacecraft in a deployment position in Atlantis' payload bay