A low-mass Titan orbiter is proposed that uses conservative or optimistic solar sails for all post-Earth-escape propulsion. After accelerating the probe onto a trans-Saturn trajectory, the sail is used parachute style for Saturn capture during a pass through Saturn's outer atmosphere. If the apoapsis of the Saturn-capture orbit is appropriate, the aerocapture maneuver can later be repeated at Titan so that the spacecraft becomes a satellite of Titan. An isodensity-atmosphere model is applied to screen aerocapture trajectories. Huygens/Cassini should greatly reduce uncertainties regarding the upper atmospheres of Saturn and Titan.
Saturn/Titan Rendezvous: A Solar-Sail Aerocapture Mission
International Astronautical Congress ; 2004 ; Vancouver, Canada
2004-07-29
Preprint
No indication
English
STRUCTURAL DESIGN OF THE TITAN AEROCAPTURE MISSION
British Library Conference Proceedings | 2003
|Titan aerocapture mission and spacecraft design overview
NTRS | 2003
|Structural Design of the Titan Aerocapture Mission
AIAA | 2003
|