Science Fair Project Encyclopedia
Ballute
A ballute (a compound word combinding "balloon and parachute) is a device that has been proposed for use in spacecraft aerobraking. As its name suggests, it is an inflatable drag-enhancing structure.
Its large size and low density allow it to produce significant drag at much higher altitudes than traditional aerobraking. This reduces the frictional heating experienced, which is important considering the fragility of most designs.
A dramatic example of aerocapture into Jupiter orbit using a ballute system was depicted in the movie 2010: The Year We Make Contact.
03-10-2013 05:06:04
The contents of this article is licensed from www.wikipedia.org under the GNU Free Documentation License. Click here to see the transparent copy and copyright details
The contents of this article is licensed from www.wikipedia.org under the GNU Free Documentation License. Click here to see the transparent copy and copyright details