Aerocapture technology

In 2008, one group of the seeds that you receive has been given a simulation of a procedure called aerocapture and the second set is a control group. One group will be labeled "A" and one labeled "B" ...but you will not know which group is the control and which underwent the aerocapture simulation until you submit your results following the germination process.

Aerocapture technology is a flight maneuver which uses the destination planetary body's atmosphere to "brake" the speed of the space vehicle as it goes into orbit around the destination. Some destinations that this could be used with include Mars, Venus and Saturn's moon, Titan. The big advantage of aerocapture is that it conserves fuel. The atmosphere creates friction, slowing down the craft, transferring the energy associated with the high speed of the vehicle to heat. This quick "capture" negates the need for a heavy load of propellant, thus making the launch costs more efficient.

The aerocapture maneuver can be accomplished with two basic types of systems. The spacecraft can be enclosed by a structure covered with thermal protection material. Another option is for the vehicle to deploy an aerocapture device, such as an inflatable heat shield or an inflatable, trailing ballute - a combination balloon and parachute made of thin, durable material towed behind the vehicle after deployment in the vacuum of space.

The blunt body, rigid aeroshell system encases a spacecraft in a protective shell. This shell acts as an aerodynamic surface, providing lift and drag, and provides protection from the intense heating experienced during high-speed atmospheric flight. Once the spacecraft is captured into orbit, the aeroshell is jettisoned.

A trailing ballute configuration involves a doughnut-shaped device, made of lightweight, thin-filmed material, larger than the spacecraft. It is towed behind the craft, like a parachute and can be easily detached following aerocapture. The ballute incurs most of the aerodynamic forces and heat, allowing the use of minimal thermal protection around the spacecraft.

The inflatable aeroshell design looks much like the aeroshell or blunt body design. The inflatable aeroshell is often referred to as a hybrid system, with a rigid nosepiece and an inflated, attached decelerator to increase the drag area. Prior to entering the atmosphere, the inflatable aeroshell extends from a rigid nose-cap and provides a larger surface area to slow the spacecraft down. Thin-film material reinforced with a ceramic cloth in the inflatable aeroshell design, allows flexibility during spacecraft design and operations.

NASA researchers are considering aerocapture technologies for a broad range of future mission objectives including orbiters at Titan, a moon of Saturn, Venus, Mars, and Neptune. The program objective is to develop in-space propulsion technologies that can enable or benefit near and mid-term NASA space science missions by significantly reducing cost, mass and travel times.

Teachers will find information about the process at the following web sites which are available only in English: