Feasibility Assessment of Aerocapture for Future Titan Orbiter Missions

Numerical simulation is used to perform parametric analysis to assess the feasibility of aerocapture at Titan over arrival V-infinity of 0-16 km/s, vehicle lift-to-drag ratio of 0-1, and vehicle ballistic coefficient of 90 and 800 kg/m(2). Aerodynamic forces, peak heat rate, and total heat load are evaluated. It is shown that aerocapture at Titan requires a lifting vehicle with a minimum lift-to-drag ratio of 0.2 and an arrival V-infinity of 5 km/s, an equivalent propulsive Delta V of about 4 km/s, which is higher than what is realistically possible. Results show that aerocapture requires different interplanetary trajectories from propulsive options, and aerocapture with a vehicle of lift-to-drag ratio of 0.3 enables an arrival V-infinity of 5 km/s and higher. The peak heat rate is well within the capability of the state-of-the-art technologies of thermal protection system materials. In addition, the vehicle can achieve an inclination change up to 20 deg via an aerocapture maneuver.