Bob, Monroe,
The problem is the delta-V needed to deorbit a OneWeb satellite is more
like on the order of 200m/s or more (I don't have the analysis tool we used
with me). What sort of Isps can you realistically get with such laser
ablation systems? How many ablation pulses would you need to make this
work? How big of an orbital laser? How expensive is that orbital laser
system?
Once you've factored all those things in, i.e. the cost of the laser, how
many deorbits you can really get out of its useful life, how much mass has
to be added to the target spacecraft, how much that increases launch costs,
my guess is it won't trade that well with tug based solutions. And unlike a
tug, a laser deorbit system doesn't open the door for low-cost satellite
servicing (inspection, refueling, installation of plug-n-play upgrade
modules, etc).
~Jon
On Wed, Dec 13, 2017 at 9:37 AM, Robert Steinke <robert.steinke@xxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
One problem with methods that increase frontal area is that even though
the satellite comes down faster it sweeps out the same amount of volume
during that shorter time so the chance of colliding with something isn't
reduced. Monroe's idea of off-gassing is interesting because the gas will
disperse and not increase the collision cross section. If you only need a
few tens of meters per second it could work. The material could even be
some kind of plastic that provides a structural function when the satellite
is operational.
On Wed, Dec 13, 2017 at 2:01 AM, Uwe Klein <uwe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
use a flimsy balloon shell to blow up with the gas.
Deorbit by increased drag.
How big could one enlarge the aerodynamic aperture
of a cube sat with a gram or two of plastic foil?
How much gas do you need to fill for a mbar or three?
