SmallSat Aerocapture: Enabling ESPA-class Science Orbiters Using Rideshare Launch Opportunities
Abstract
The proliferation of ESPA-class rideshare is leading to a new era of planetary science exploration with small satellites. While secondary payload launches provide an opportunity for cost-efficient SmallSat science missions, there are numerous technical challenges to address to enable these small spacecraft to perform extended science observations from orbit. While much focus (and recent success with the MarCO spacecraft) has been on getting small satellites to deep space destinations, the journey to get there is only half of the challenge; the spacecraft must also be able to slow down to enter orbit. Traditional methods of orbit insertion have utilized a chemical propulsion system, requiring large amounts of propellant mass to enact changes of velocity. For any system, but especially a mass and volume constrained ESPA-class SmallSat, accommodating significant amounts of propellant can be prohibitive or impossible.
In order to enable small spacecraft to enter orbit at planetary destinations, significant recent technology development has focused on demonstrating aerocapture. Aerocapture uses the drag of a single pass through the atmosphere to capture into orbit instead of relying on large quantities of rocket fuel, allowing SmallSats to quickly and efficiently get to their destination and begin science observations. Using drag modulation flight control, an aerocapture vehicle adjusts its drag area during atmospheric flight, allowing it to target a particular orbit in the presence of navigational and atmospheric uncertainties (figure).- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2020
- Bibcode:
- 2020AGUFMSH040..10A
- Keywords:
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- 9805 Instruments useful in three or more fields;
- GENERAL OR MISCELLANEOUS;
- 9810 New fields (not classifiable under other headings);
- GENERAL OR MISCELLANEOUS;
- 9820 Techniques applicable in three or more fields;
- GENERAL OR MISCELLANEOUS;
- 6339 System design;
- POLICY SCIENCES & PUBLIC ISSUES