Roccor, LLC — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: AF173-016

Description

The accumulation of orbital debris has become a problem of critical importance to the satellite industry and the DOD.While numerous deorbit systems have been developed in the past decade for small satellites, no practical systems have yet been developed for the large (i.e., > 1,000kg) satellites and spent upper stages that are most likely to destroy other operational LEO assets.To address this capability gap, Roccor proposes to develop a low-cost 1,000m2-class debris deorbit drag (3D) sail.Like other solar sails currently under development at Roccor, the sail utilizes AFRL-developed composite triangular rollable and collapsible (TRAC) boom technology, and because of its size the proposed TRAC-3D sail will apply a trussed TRAC boom technology under development at Roccor for 1,000m2-class sails.The Phase I program will encompass a preliminary design-and-analysis cycle for a TRAC-3D sail capable of meeting requirements for DODs space debris engagement and deorbit missions. System architecture trades will survey the space debris population to establish a detailed set of design requirements and to drive initial structural and packaging analyses.These efforts will necessarily be performed in close communication with sail and boom material vendors to identify practical and cost-effective designs.