Low-Cost Deorbiting System

Development of a mechanical de-orbiting system that can be attached to a DoD satellite asset as part of the initial mission planning can provide a means to safely and cost effectively de-orbit a satellite once it has completed its mission or if a de-orbit is required due to a failure of a key system or instrument.  The fact that all satellites will fail over time leads to the need to de-orbit them.  By attaching a mechanical de-orbiting module it is possible to extend the usable life of the satellite by utilizing the available onboard propellant to be used for station keeping or other ACS maneuvers in lieu of saving the propellant for a de-orbit maneuver. BENEFIT: Low-cost attachable structure that can be installed on a wide class of satellites to aid in reducing the time to de-orbit the satellite without the use of secondary systems such as on board propellant.  Once designed, developed and qualified the system can be installed on a wide size and configuration of satellite.  The mechanical system is simple with low parts count and does not require high power to initiate or operate to perform its mission.  The technology will be directly applicable to DoD, Civil and Commercial Space programs.