NASA contracts Inversion to study interplanetary aerocapture technology

NASA awarded Inversion a contract on Sept. 10, 2026, to study using its Arc spacecraft for an aerocapture demonstration, applying Earth-based tests to future interplanetary missions. The agreement asks Inversion to study whether its Arc lifting-body vehicle can perform the first aerocapture demonstration using Earth’s atmosphere, per the contract terms. Under the deal, Inversion will examine mission design, aerodynamics, trajectory analysis, and vehicle definition, as detailed in its Medium announcement. NASA intends to attempt aerocapture at Earth first rather than sending the vehicle straight to Mars for its initial test, taking a stepwise approach that begins with an Earth-based demonstration before attempting the technique at other planets.

Aerocapture has been researched for decades but has never been demonstrated in flight. The technique sheds velocity and achieves orbital capture through one controlled atmospheric pass using aerodynamic forces instead of propellant, allowing a spacecraft to slow down without carrying heavy braking fuel. Cision PR Newswire explains that although aerocapture has been studied for many years, no flight demonstration has yet occurred, which is why NASA is pursuing an Earth-based test to gather the flight data needed for interplanetary use. By relying on atmospheric braking, the method cuts propellant requirements for orbital insertion, which helps missions to distant planets.

Traditional interplanetary missions require significant propellant to brake into orbit, limiting payload capacity and mission flexibility. Missions entering orbit at distant worlds must carry substantial fuel for arrival burns, which often forces planners to sacrifice payload capacity to avoid burning up or missing orbit. Payload describes the current mass penalty of propulsive arrival, noting that missions must carry fuel and risk burning up or missing orbit without it. Reducing propellant mass creates savings that allow more launch vehicle options, larger science payloads, and substantially shorter trip times.

Inversion’s CEO, Justin Fiaschetti, explained that the method speeds travel to other planets by eliminating months of propulsive braking, allowing full-speed arrival followed by atmospheric braking to enter orbit. “You just go full speed to the planet, then hit the atmosphere and brake before getting into orbit,” he said, describing the core appeal of aerocapture. The CEO noted that the agreement should not become a ten year development cycle like those typical of early-stage NASA contracts, and cited the launch of Inversion’s first prototype, Ray, just four years after the company was founded, as evidence of its ability to deliver rapidly.

Inversion’s first in-space demonstration of Arc is planned for no earlier than 2027, with the aerocapture study serving as a parallel development effort that the company views as a sidequest to its primary goal of demonstrating Arc’s capabilities in Earth orbit. The Earth-based test is intended to provide flight data critical for validating aerocapture’s feasibility in deep-space environments. Fiaschetti emphasized the company’s ability to deliver rapidly, citing the launch of its first prototype, Ray, just four years after founding, as proof that Inversion can move from concept to flight quickly.

The aerocapture study could enable Arc to play a central role in future missions to Mars, Titan, Uranus, and Venus, reducing fuel requirements and transit times for interplanetary travel. NASA’s demonstration aims to mature the technology for future missions, including Mars telecommunications satellites and exploration of Uranus and Neptune. A successful demonstration might lead to space missions that are more efficient, faster, and less costly to destinations such as Uranus and Neptune, the distant ice giants.

The Moon is not a useful target for aerocapture because it lacks an atmosphere capable of slowing a spacecraft, and Earth is not a primary use case because mission planners can launch spacecraft into almost any desired orbit without needing to slow down. Usable aerocapture technology at other planets may be decades away, though development must begin somewhere, and the Earth-based test represents an initial step toward that goal.

The challenges of aerocapture are substantial, requiring precise control of a spacecraft as it enters a planetary atmosphere at tremendous speeds. Cision PR Newswire notes that arriving spacecraft typically travel at tremendous speeds, and the technique must shed this velocity during one controlled atmospheric pass rather than carrying propellant for braking.

Arc supports rapid global cargo delivery, hypersonic testing, and national security missions requiring precise atmospheric reentry, with applications extending to Earth-based satellite maneuverability. The spacecraft features three control stages: chemical propellants for orbital maneuvers, cold gas thrusters for fine positioning, and thermal-resistant flaps for hypersonic reentry control. The system prioritizes thermal management and controllability under extreme conditions, making it suitable for both Earth reentry and potential aerocapture applications.

The vehicle relies on conventional heat shields and parachutes for descent and is built to be expended rather than refurbished, with its thermal protection systems designed to maximize heat tolerance for delivery missions. Inversion must prove its thermal management capability, since greater heat tolerance for Arc means it can serve more delivery customers.

Fiaschetti said the Earth-based aerocapture study would improve in-space maneuverability for customers and enable new atmospheric mission types unavailable to other spacecraft. He explained that the vehicle can simulate aerocapture conditions for different planets by flying representative trajectories while staying within Earth’s atmosphere. The vehicle establishes a new transportation domain that offers speed and global reach, and its applications span commercial and national security missions.

Inversion was founded by former engineers from SpaceX and ABL Space to develop orbital reentry vehicles for mission-critical cargo, including vaccines, biological samples, and military equipment. Based in Los Angeles, the company handles spacecraft design, manufacturing, and integration under one roof to move quickly from concept to flight. Y Combinator, Spark Capital, and Lockheed Martin Ventures back the company, whose customers span the U.S. government and commercial space industry. The company’s rapid development cycle, demonstrated by launching its first prototype Ray just four years after founding, highlights its focus on quick delivery of advanced reentry technology.