Aerobraking satellite deorbiting system
AssigneeAriane Group SAS
InventorsBenjamin Rasse, Patrice Damiano
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A satellite deorbiting device including an aerobraking surface including a satellite attitude control device with gravity gradient, the device with gravity gradient including at least one mast carrying the aerobraking surface, a first end of which is secured to the satellite and the second end of which is provided with a mass, such that the mast is oriented in a direction opposing that of the planet around which the satellite orbits.
Claims9
A satellite deorbiting device comprising an aerobraking sail wherein it includes a gravity gradient satellite attitude control device for holding attitude of the satellite, the gravity gradient device including at least one mast carrying the aerobraking sail and a first end of which is secured to the satellite and a second end of which is provided with a mass, such that said mast orients itself in a direction opposite the direction of the planet around which the satellite orbits, and the aerobraking sail including at least two sails made of membranes deployed with and extending along a length of the mast, where each of the at least two sails has a length substantially equal to the length of the mast.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.