e.Deorbit Mission: OHB Debris Removal Concepts

Abstract

To stabilize the space debris problem in low Earth orbit(LEO), the performance of active debris removalmissions is required. To prepare for such missions, theEuropean Space Agency (ESA) has initiated thee.Deorbit mission as part of its Clean Space activities,with ENVISAT as a sizing case for a potential removaltarget.For the phase A of e.Deorbit, OHB System has led ateam with strong heritage in the key fields of missiondesign, space robotics, and guidance, navigation andcontrol (GNC). In this paper, the mission concepts for removing spacedebris with a rigid or flexible capture mechanism arepresented. While re-orbiting was also studied, it is notaddressed in this paper.A key focus of the study has been the creation of a cost-effective design, allowing the high number of futureremoval missions needed for the stabilization ofthe space debris environment while not sacrificing thenecessary levels of reliability and safety.