Self-Contained Deorbit Package for Spacecraft

On the modern battlefield, remote sensing of the environment is critical to the success of a military mission. The currently available sensor deployment tools can be made more effective, through the augmentation of WASPS. Truly responsive, tactical remote sensing includes the capability to deliver a sensor to any location on Earth within hours. Two distinct capabilities are required, a global reach missile deployment capability and a rapidly deceleration from near-orbital velocities, at high altitudes, to deploy a sensor or observation system. This second required capability is as yet immature and achieving it is the objective of the WASPS system. A WASPS system provides the ability to rapidly place a "fragile" (i.e. requiring a low kinetic energy deployment) high-resolution remote sensor into a region of interest anywhere on Earth. Such an aerobraking system has an additional application; to be attached to a target spacecraft for the sole purpose of executing a retirement deorbit maneuver. This system will be designed so that it can either be attached to a spacecraft before launch or attached on orbit once the service lifetime of the target spacecraft has been reached.