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High-speed scientific spacecraft launches with commercial launch vehicles

McNutt, Ralph L.; Brandt, Pontus C.; Vernon, Steven R. +2 more

Reaching the outer solar system and interstellar space beyond has always been challenging due to the long distances and long travel times. Initial work on planetary gravity assists in the early 1960s by Minovitch and Flandro laid the basis for expanding reachable space with then-existing launch vehicles. Such gravity assists have been key enablers…