Speaker
Description
In the wider context of Active Debris Removal (ADR) missions, the de-orbiting kit’s plug-in solution is special in its potential to become a self sustaining product. While the aim of the initial activity addressed within Cleanspace is to deorbit a passive launch adaptor (such as a VESPA upper part) as an in-orbit demonstration, the ultimate goal is to develop a modular and scalable concept that would allow the deorbit kit to be accommodated on other hosts (other launch adaptors and satellites).
This constraint is fully integrated into the mechanical and electrical architecture of the deorbiting kit. Firstly, the kit is designed as a short disc to ease the integration within the payload adapters on existing spacecraft. Secondly, the kit is connected to the spacecraft through the inclusion of a watchdog-dedicated board in the on-board computer that listens in on a MIl-STD-1553 bus, and can be customised for each application without affecting the rest of the de-orbiting kit design to adapt to different requirements or bus architectures.
This standardisation effort is essential to the success of the deorbiting kit as a viable ADR solution in the coming years.
