the unintuitive behavior is that it is very difficult to find that balance. if i am to slow i crash into the planet, if i am to fast i leave orbit with no chance to get back in time. being gentle always results in being to slow. in other words there is no gentle way to reach the balance. and if i don't know where that balance is, i don't know what to aim for.
you may argue that finding that balance is the goal of the game, but then i guess the game is not for me. i lose interest if i have to try 10 times and still can't figure out how to do it right.