<p>The present work introduces a novel approach to optimise the shape of platforms operating in Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO) by maximising their Lift-to-Drag ratio. VLEO platforms encounter significant atmospheric drag, posing challenges for long-duration missions. However, this residual atmosphere can also be harnessed to generate beneficial aerodynamic forces, offering a potential strategy to reduce the costs of orbital manoeuvres. To this end, the presented method leverages Free-Form Deformation (FFD) techniques to simultaneously minimise drag and maximise lift through the use of an aerodynamic evaluation tool tailored for free-molecular flow. Central to this approach is a custom-developed shape generator, which converts parametric geometries into 3D meshes, enabling efficient exploration of various configurations. A first test case is conducted for drag reduction under volume and bounding box constraints to validate the optimisation framework, allowing the algorithm to explore optimal shapes within defined physical limits. The results are analysed and benchmarked against previous studies, demonstrating notable potential for improving aerodynamic performance. Subsequently, we extend the same FFD-driven optimisation by incorporating lift in the objective function. This second test case explores the potential of exploiting non-conventional geometries in VLEO environments, where the trade-offs between lift generation and drag reduction are crucial for mission efficiency. Preliminary results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed optimisation strategy in refining vehicle configurations for enhanced aerodynamic performance. The findings are anticipated to offer valuable insights into the design of future VLEO platforms, potentially increasing mission lifetimes and reducing fuel requirements through more efficient aerodynamic designs.</p>