Lightweight Structural Aerobrake for Orbital Positioning and Maneuvering

"One of the most significant barriers to routine space access is the high cost of launch to orbit. The currently available launch means to Low Earth Orbit are disproportionately expensive to the value of these small systems. Even on today's mostinexpensive launch vehicles, launch costs remain prohibitive for many small payloads.A low-cost, lightweight structure that can be used as an aerobrake drag device is a key enabling technology for a solution to this problem. The concept of such an aerobrake has been explored in Phase I, with the results showing strong technicalfeasibility. AeroAstro has explored one conceptual application of this technology with the use of an aerobrake to perform orbit transfers. The Small Payload ORbit Transfer (SPORTTM) vehicle, also being developed by AeroAstro, is capable of taking a smallspacecraft from GTO to a wide range of low Earth orbits by making use of aerobrake technology.The ultimate objective of the proposed Phase II SBIR is to demonstrate the capabilities and potential of large lightweight space structures by designing and implementing a deployable aerobrake device. Phase II will perform all necessary analyses anddesign activities leading up to and including the development of a prototype aerobrake structure."