Would the theory hold up that instead if sling shotting around a planet or moon to gain speed during space travel that instead use the bodies gravity to draw a space vehicle to the planet then skip off the atmosphere like a stone on a pond. Skipping off several planets in a row could increase speeds expodentionally.In theory it sounds plausible. Would then a saucer shaped space ship be most benificial to accomplish this. The main question I have is the resistance of the atmosphere an issue. Just a thought.

if you're powered by a magnetic reactor, and i don't think shape makes a difference after you reach space, but in gravity, it's common sense. theories

Nope. I'm afraid not. NASA sends vehicles to different planets all the time to gain speed, adjust course, and time the arrival to a specific location, but skipping on the atmosphere is a way to lose energy, not gain it. Skipping is usually the result of missing the "window" of only a few degrees between entering an atmosphere too fast and burning up or, as you say, skipping back off into space. If you hit the window just right the vehicle loses the right amount of energy at the right rate to return safely.

So what your saying is that skipping actually slows down the vehicle,would't the benifit of the gravitational pull out weigh the lost energy due to skipping. Would it also benifit by not having to make such a large course correction. I'm sure nasa has figured it out but have they ever tried it.

Actually if you hit the atmosphere you loose speed! Sling-shotting is controlled use of falling on a trajectory in a gravity well to accelerate. Remember, there is no air in space. Air causes friction. Hitting a planet's atmosphere would slow it down and if the craft hit it wrong AT ALL would plunge into the planet and burn up. You can only make a pebble skip so many times off of a pond before it falls into the water. Same with space travel. Gas and liquid also share a property called viscosity. It has a stickiness (which is viscosity or a fluid's ability to stick to a surface. It is a bad idea. You want as little contact with anything in space travel as you can accomplish.

I kinda figured I would get these type responses and the concecious seems to be no it wouldn't work. But in theory the only stupid question is the one never asked. Thanks for the posts.

Exactly!

Yes the resistance of the atmosphere and the fact that entering a gravity well would give you velocity, but leaving it would take away that same very velocity.

I dont see how this would achieve much. Conservation of energy and momentum pretty much dictate that you do not gain energy in this situation.