Mars aerocapture drag modulation

Aerocapture could enable small spacecraft to reach orbit, and in future be useful also for larger spacecraft in human exploration scenarios. While Mars is an attractive first destination for the application of aerocapture beyond Earth, the technique’s advantages are particularly apparent for ambitious scientific missions to worlds with atmospheres beyond Jupiter.

The Preparation element of ESA's Basic Activities recently took a step towards turning Mars aerocapture from theory to reality. It funded two teams – one led by ArianeGroup and the other by Vorticity – to design spacecraft that use a feasible, simple aerocapture system. The hope was to become confident enough in aerocapture that we would be happy to consider using it on future science or exploration missions.