Abstract
This work investigates the feasibility and performance of aerogravity assist (AGA) maneuvers for missions to Ceres, with emphasis on both interplanetary trajectory design and atmospheric flight dynamics. AGAs provide substantially greater turning capability than pure gravity assists by exploiting aerodynamic lift during atmospheric passes, thereby enabling greater heliocentric energy changes than pure gravity assists. To quantify these benefits, this study integrates a broad interplanetary trajectory search with high-fidelity atmospheric performance modeling. Candidate trajectories for launch years 2030–2050 are generated for multiple inner-planet encounter sequences using vehicles with lift-to-drag ratios (L/D) between 1 and 7. Atmospheric flight segments are simulated using a rotating, spherical, 3-DOF model with a multilayer atmospheric profile to determine AGA turning angles, stagnation-point peak heat rates, integrated heat load and peak g-load. Trajectories employing a single AGA at Mars using moderate-to-high L/D vehicles yield the most favorable combination of reduced time of flight and manageable thermal and structural design requirements. Venus AGAs produce larger turning angles but incur significantly higher heating loads, constraining their applicability. Overall, this combined interplanetary-atmospheric analysis demonstrates that AGA substantially broaden the feasible design space for Ceres missions, offering practical, non-propulsive mechanisms for achieving large trajectory deflections and enabling rapid, efficient access to small bodies in the outer main belt.
Acknowledgements
The author utilized Microsoft Copilot to assist with language refinement and grammatical editing during manuscript preparation. All technical content, analysis, and conclusions are the author’s own.
Scholarly Commons Citation
Burder, D. E.
().
Feasibility and Performance of Aerogravity Assists for Ceres Missions.
International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace,
13(2).
DOI: https://doi.org/10.58940/2374-6793.2077
