Drag Sail Dynamics for End-of-Life Deorbit

International standards are moving toward the requirement that spacecraft be removed from orbit at the end of their operational lives. The feasibility of deployable drag enhancement sails is considered for EOL removal of LEO spacecraft, and how they fulfil NASA deorbit guidelines is demonstrated. The concept is a Kapton membrane supported by tape spring struts. A pyramidal geometry is chosen to take advantage of a small damping effect due to motion through the Newtonian flow and the increasing atmospheric density as the orbit decays. Simplified equations of motion are presented. If achievable, dynamically stable sails would provide a mass efficient solution as a large surface area at all incidence angles is unnecessary. Demonstration of the principles involved is planned by deploying a device from a sounding rocket.