NASA has awarded a contract to Inversion Space to study aerocapture, a method of interplanetary travel that uses a planetary body’s atmosphere to slow incoming spacecraft for orbital insertion. The agreement focuses on evaluating whether Inversion’s Arc lifting-body reentry vehicle can demonstrate this technique within Earth's atmosphere.
What Happened
The contract requires Inversion to investigate how the Arc vehicle could be used to simulate aerocapture trajectories for other planets using Earth as a testbed. According to Inversion CEO Justin Fiaschetti, the vehicle's maneuverability allows it to fly paths that represent aerocapture events for different planetary bodies while remaining in Earth's atmosphere.
Currently, deep space missions attempting to enter orbit around other planets or moons must carry significant amounts of fuel to fire thrusters upon arrival. This approach often forces mission planners to sacrifice costly payload capacity for additional fuel to ensure the spacecraft does not burn up or miss its orbit.
Why It Matters
If successful, aerocapture could allow spacecraft to travel to distant destinations with less fuel and more payload than traditional methods. Fiaschetti noted that the study could position Arc for future missions to Mars, Titan, Uranus, and Venus. The technique also promises faster transit times, as spacecraft would not need to spend months slowing down via propulsion systems before entering orbit.
While the NASA contract is described as a "sidequest" for Inversion, which is working toward its first in-space demonstration of Arc planned for no earlier than 2027, the technology has terrestrial applications. Fiaschetti explained that the principles learned could enhance maneuverability for satellites in Earth orbit, enabling aerodynamic orbit changes that other spacecraft cannot currently match.
The Bottom Line
Inversion Space has secured a NASA contract to explore aerocapture as a fuel-efficient alternative to traditional orbital insertion, potentially reducing mission costs and transit times for future interplanetary exploration.