Michael Andrew Minovitch (c. 1936 - 16 September 2022)[1] was an American mathematician who developed gravity assist technique when he was a UCLAgraduate student and working summers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.[2][3] He claimed that he invented the technique, even though multiple publications preceded his own. He later sued several people, including Richard Battin who published a paper on gravity assists in 1958, for stealing his ideas, but lost.[4]
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 52,000km/h to 132,000km/h as it passed by Jupiter in December, 1973.[5][6]
Minovitch patented a vehicle for space travel under the patent title Magnetic propulsion system and operating method, US Patent 6193194 B1.
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