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An interplanetary probe must decelerate from a hyperbolic interplanetory trajectory to an orbital trajectory when it arrives at its destination. Currently, this maneuvre is achieved using chemical propulsion, which means that propellant makes up a significant fraction of the vehicle mass. Aerocapture is an alternative concept that instead uses aerodynamic drag from the athmosphere of the planet to decelerate the arriving spacecraft.

In the frame of an In Orbit Servicing Maturation Phase (IOSMP) contract, this maturation study has been realised on the START-€ solution which is proposed to extend the lifetime of geostationary orbit (GEO) communication satellites. The START-€ servicer spacecraft will first demonstrate on a GEO communication satellite its ability to perform the critical operations related to its mission, before proceeding with several commercial life extension missions by capturing and taking the AOCS control of aged client spacecraft.

This work has primarily focused on establishing scenarios where inflatable devices could be the most useful. Given that these missions rely on aerodynamic drag that results in (potentially significant) heating, the authors have sought to find solutions to minimize heat fluxes acting on the device surface, and especially keeping it within the limits of flexible/foldable TPS materials for the aerocapture scenario.