Aeroballistic Capture at Mars: Modeling, Optimization, and Assessment

In this paper a novel paradigm for Mars missions is modeled, optimized, and assessed. This concept consists of a maneuver that combines aerocapture and ballistic capture upon Mars arrival, labeled aeroballistic capture. The idea is reducing the overall cost and mass by exploiting the interaction with the planet atmosphere as well as the complex sun–Mars gravitational field. The aeroballistic capture paradigm is first formulated. This is then split into a number of phases, each of them is modeled with mathematical means. The problem is then stated by using optimal control theory, and optimal solutions are sought. These are specialized to four application cases. An assessment of aeroballistic capture shows their superiority compared to classical injection maneuvers when medium-to-high final orbits about Mars are targeted.