Speaker
Description
The Deorbit Kit is intended as a modular end-of-life platform for a automated, mission budget friendly controlled re-entry of satellites. The system is planned to be highly scalable for multiple missions in the future. The targets for the Deorbit Kit will be Low Earth Orbit (LEO) spacecraft in the size range of 50 to 300 kg mass.
The system consists of electric power system, sensor packages, communications, guidance, navigation and control unit as well as the propulsion system. The exact physical size of the module can be tailored according to the spacecraft to be deorbited, but will strive for a very modest and economic form factor.
The deorbit capability configuration will follow the modular design paradigm; the main driver for deorbiting will be the plasma brake. The plasma brake is a propellantless micro tether deorbiting device, that utilizes the Coulomb drag force to generate thrust in LEO to deorbit a satellite. However, the system incorporates the possibility of a traditional chemical propulsion unit, to be utilized in situations where the plasma brake is not an optimal choice. The system can be installed either as a completely autonomous unit, or as an integrated part of the satellite. This allows the proposed concept to cover both cases of uncontrolled deorbiting of a Designed for Demise (D4D) by the plasma brake module and the more demanding controlled deorbiting of a non-D4D satellite by utilizing both the plasma brake as well as a chemical thruster.
The proposal is in early concept stages having undergone preliminary design for the entire system. The plasma brake system has been extensively studied for over a decade, and several attemps have been made to deploy the system in-orbit. Here we present the overall system concept, the applicable areas for it's utilization, the preliminary system architecture as well as preliminary performance characteristics.
