<h2>AAS 95-353</h2><h2>A General Approach to Aerobraking Tether Design</h2><h4>S. G. Tragesser and J. M. Longuski, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, J. Puig-Suari, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ</h4><h2> Abstract </h2>In the aerobraking tether concept, a probe, connected to an orbiter by a long tether, passes through the atmosphere of a target planet to provide the velocity change needed for aerocapture.  Simple analytic models are presented which accurately predict the mass-optimum tether that keeps the orbiter above the sensible atmosphere.  By appropriate selection of nondimensional variables, these models are generalized so that design of the spacecraft and maneuver can be completely characterized in a few plots.  By including propellant mass in these plots, we show that aerobraking tethers have a clear mass advantage over a wide range of maneuvers.<br><br>