flyby

noun, plural fly·bys.

1. the flight of a spacecraft close enough to a celestial object, as a planet, to gather scientific data.
2. Aeronautics.
   1. Also called flypast.a low-altitude flight of an aircraft for the benefit of ground observers.
   2. flyover(def 1).

noun plural -bys

1. a flight past a particular position or target, esp the close approach of a spacecraft to a planet or satellite for investigation of conditions