Design and deployment of a Martian global navigation satellite system using aerocapture
Researchers in the Engineering Systems Lab, led by graduate student Daniel Gochenaur, present a detailed technical proposal to use 3D-aerocapture to deploy a GPS-like constellation upon hyperbolic arrival at Mars.
Authors: Daniel C. Gochenaur, Michael P. Jones, Lilly Etzenbach, Christopher D. Tommila, and Olivier L. de Weck
Citation: Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, 2026, 1-14
Abstract:
Future Mars satellites and landers could benefit from improved position, navigation, and timing (PNT) support. Enhanced PNT capability could be provided by constellation-based systems similar to the Global Positioning System (GPS) at Earth. However, deploying such systems at other destinations is challenging, as satellites must be delivered to multiple orbit planes of differing orientations, many of which are not readily accessible from a common approach trajectory. Given this constraint, this work examines the design and deployment of a Mars global navigation satellite system using aerocapture with plane rotation to insert satellites into the desired orbits.
The results show that constellations providing GPS-like coverage standards can be deployed using aerocapture from a single approach vector, with improved performance requiring greater total launch mass. For a 7 km/s hyperbolic arrival velocity, a five-plane, four-satellite-per-plane, 60-deg Walker–Delta constellation at 10,000 km altitude can be deployed using a combination of biconic, ellipsled, and sphere-cone entry vehicles. If constituent satellite masses are kept low, the complete constellation could be delivered using a single Falcon Heavy launch. Beyond demonstrating its applicability to Mars PNT deployment, this investigation underscores the broader potential of aerocapture with plane rotation to enable a wide range of future space exploration missions.
