Ball Aerospace to Explore New Space Propulsion Technology
Ball Aerospace has snagged a NASA contract to pursue advanced
space propulsion systems as part of a $20 million umbrella research
and development project.
The Boulder, Colorado-based company will focus its efforts on
advances in ballute aerocapture. The technology uses atmospheric
drag to slow down an incoming satellite to more efficiently enter
an orbit around a planet. Ball likens the system to a drag racer's
parachute. The ballutes also protect the spacecraft from the heat
encountered when entering the atmosphere.
The use of ballute aerocapture devices should reduce the amount
of propellant required, thereby reducing launch costs and providing
more payload space.
