Airbrakes on an asteroid.

[Sharpy]

Will it work?

The purpose is bringing it into LKO through aerobraking, not landing it. I passed with it through the atmosphere once already. PE of 50km, its heat bar filled halfway. The wrangler survived without damages on the occlused side, lost a gigantor to overheating on the hot side. But the overall apoapsis change was pitiful, and judging by the asteroid's heat bar, lowering the periapsis further will burn it up. Thus my idea: airbrakes. Three emptied Kickbacks each with 20 airbrakes, attached in three spots around the asteroid, directed roughly towards the tug (to leave it on the occluded side).

[FancyMouse]

Imagining what it will take to aerobrake a 3000t stuff down a hundred of m/s to the heat safe zone, I guess this amount of airbrakes isn't going to change the picture too much.

[Claw]

Do it! The airbrakes are deceptively powerful.

[Sharpy]

Tomorrow

[Sharpy]

Initial orbit: Apoapsis: 20,747km Periapsis: 48.92km

With airbrakes folded: Apoapsis: 18,612km, Periapsis 48,90km. 2132km change

After flyby with airbrakes deployed: Apoapsis: 17,392km, Periapsis 48,85km. 3355km change

So they work, not so great but not so shabby either - about 50% improvement.

[Thomassino]

Initial orbit: Apoapsis: 20,747km Periapsis: 48.92km

With airbrakes folded: Apoapsis: 18,612km, Periapsis 48,90km. 2132km change

After flyby with airbrakes deployed: Apoapsis: 17,392km, Periapsis 48,85km. 3355km change

So they work, not so great but not so shabby either - about 50% improvement.

50% improvement is very good according to size of those airbrakes. They once more proven themselves way OP.

[Pecan]

Will it work?

Who cares? We just want to see it done!

For that I might even watch a video of the aerobraking pass.

[Xannari Ferrows]

I read the title, and was like "Oh no this is gonna be something ridiculous."

I was not wrong.