(ORDO NEWS) — The Drag Augmentation Deorbiting System (ADEO) was successfully deployed at the end of December 2022.
The 3.6 square meter sail autonomously unfolded from a small 10x10x10cm package to demonstrate satellite deorbiting technology.
The ADEO deployment was captured by a built-in camera aboard the launch vehicle, the ION satellite. ADEO turned, showing its “wings”, and took the satellite out of orbit.
The sails are an aluminium-coated polyamide membrane attached to four carbon fiber reinforced jibs.
ADEO gently pushes the satellite out of orbit towards the Earth‘s atmosphere, in which the satellite eventually burns up.
The ADEO mission is the final qualification test required to provide a technology proof of concept.
A smaller sail measuring 2.5 square meters was installed on the upper stage of the Elektron launch vehicle in 2018, and several parabolic flights were performed from 2019 to 2022.
The ADEO test model is the smallest modification of the ADEO product family, designed specifically for deorbiting small satellites up to 100 kg.
For medium to large sized satellites, multiple blocks can be placed or a larger sail can be used.
Individual solutions depend on the initial orbit, the mass of the satellite, and the required deorbit time.
The largest option can reach 100 square meters and take up to 45 minutes to deploy. The smallest sail measures just 3.5 square meters and unfolds in 0.8 seconds.
ADEO technology provides a safe, reliable and sustainable method for passively de-orbiting satellites.
The system can be designed for passive orientation stabilization. This approach is applicable for inoperable and tumbling satellites.
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