Speaker
Description
With the rapid growth of large satellite constellations in low Earth orbit (LEO), the need for effective space debris mitigation strategies has intensified. Particularly due to the on-ground casualty risk associated with uncontrolled re-entry of satellite components after their end-of-life. Among the most critical components are Type 3 Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessels (COPVs), commonly used for propellant storage in propulsion subsystems. COPVs consist of a metallic liner overwrapped with carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRP). While this configuration ensures excellent structural performance, the inherent thermal resistance and mechanical integrity of continuous carbon fibers prevent complete demise during re-entry, posing a significant challenge to compliance with emerging space safety regulations.
This work serves as final presentation of the project “Demisable Krypton Tank” being part of the ESA ARTES programme. The goal was to develop a fully demisable Type 3 COPV, with the focus on design and manufacturing of a CFRP overwrap tailored for improved demisability during re-entry.
Following an initial proof of concept through plasma wind tunnel testing, the project established a comprehensive set of design and performance requirements for the tank development. A manufacturing process for the demisable CFRP was developed to enable controlled degradation behaviour under re-entry conditions. This material innovation aims to promote early structural failure of the overwrap, facilitating fragmentation and subsequent ablation of the metallic liner.
The project combined experimental and numerical approaches to validate the concept. A further plasma wind tunnel campaign with 1 L COPVs confirmed the enhanced demise behaviour of the developed material compared to conventional CFRP. These results were integrated into re-entry simulations, allowing for a comparative assessment between demisable and standard designs, as well as an evaluation of scalability to larger tank volumes. In parallel, mechanical characterization of the demisable CFRP ensured that structural requirements were met, supported by finite element analyses for the final tank design.
The results demonstrate that the developed 1 L COPV can achieve complete disintegration under representative re-entry conditions, highlighting the potential of the approach for safer spacecraft design. At the same time, the analysis indicates that further optimization is required for larger tanks, pointing to key areas for future development. The current development status confirms proof of concept and establishes a validated design for a demisable 1 L COPV, paving the way for future qualification and industrial implementation.