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censored_username t1_j5ythbs wrote

Eh, you would design your approach so you intersect the ISS orbit at your perigee. Then decelerate just enough to get a highly eccentric orbit (or a weakly stable one), match inclination at apogee and then decelerate further at perigee.

Still, that would require a restartable motor with >4km/s delta V, which implies at least like 80% of your vehicle being storable propellants. A heat shield is simply lighter.

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