Abstract
Deorbitsail is a collaborative project funded through the European Commission's Seventh Framework Programme. A 5-by-5-metre sail will be deployed from the 10-by-10-by- 34-cm stowed satellite and demonstrate rapid deorbiting via atmospheric drag. Optimal pointing for drag will be accomplished with a compact three-axis-controlled attitude determination and control system. The project's central goal is in-orbit technology demonstration of a compact design for planned deorbiting of spacecraft. This paper presents two of the engineering considerations in the development of Deorbitsail: a practical review of the sail manufacturing and packing, and a brief trade study on solar panel configuration. Deorbitsail's deployable sail membrane is made of Kapton HN and packed into four rectangular packages using a double z-fold. Some of the challenges associated with the manufacture of this Kapton sail are discussed, including static cling and folding accuracy. The power study focuses on the limits common to the CubeSat form factor and the strict pointing requirements of the primary drag sailing mission.