Gravity assist is one of the most significant developments in space travel. Gravity assist centers around using a celestialbody’s orbital energy to assist a s pacecraft’s trajectory and redice fuel consumption. The energy can also be used to slow the spacecraft down. The idea uses Einstein’s theory of general relativity which states every mass deforms the fabric of space and therefore affects all other objects in space. The more massive the object, the more deformation it will cause.

The team was tasked with creating a model to showcase gravitational assist in a way that is easily understood, specifically by middle schoolers and high schoolers.

The Gravity Device Models (GDM) created use a sheet of elastic material that is stretched and clamped to a circular frame. The flexible material represents space. Objects placed on it represent celestial bodies. Launchers are used to be able to recreate paths of the objects across the fabric. A small 4 x 4 diameter model can be set up in the classroom and a large 10 x 10 ft diameter model can be set up outside for demonstrations at schools.

Advisor: Dr. Curtis O'Malley

Poster Link Spring 2021