This paper presents the mission design for a CubeSat-based active debris removal approach intended for transferring sizable debris objects from low-Earth orbit to a deorbit altitude of 100 km. The mission consists of a mothership spacecraft that carries and deploys several debris-removing nanosatellites, called Deorbiter CubeSats. Each Deorbiter is designed based on the utilization of an eight-unit CubeSat form factor and commercially-available components with significant flight heritage. The mothership spacecraft delivers Deorbiter CubeSats to the vicinity of a predetermined target debris, through performing a long-range rendezvous maneuver. Through a formation flying maneuver, the mothership then performs in-situ measurements of debris shape and orbital state. Upon release from the mothership, each Deorbiter CubeSat proceeds to performing a rendezvous and attachment maneuver with a debris object. Once attached to the debris, the CubeSat performs a detumbling maneuver, by which the residual angular momentum of the CubeSat-debris system is dumped using Deorbiter’s onboard reaction wheels. After stabilizing the attitude motion of the combined Deorbiter-debris system, the CubeSat proceeds to performing a deorbiting maneuver, i.e., reducing system’s altitude so much so that the bodies disintegrate and burn up due to atmospheric drag, typically at around 100 km above the Earth surface. The attitude and orbital maneuvers that are planned for the mission are described, both for the mothership and Deorbiter CubeSat. The performance of each spacecraft during their operations is investigated, using the actual performance specifications of the onboard components. The viability of the proposed debris removal approach is discussed in light of the results.

本文介绍了基于CubeSat的主动碎片清除方法的任务设计，该方法旨在将可观的碎片对象从低地球轨道转移到100 km的脱离轨道高度。该任务由一个母舰飞船组成，该飞船携带并部署了数个去除杂物的纳米卫星，称为Deorbiter CubeSats。每个Deorbiter的设计都是基于使用八单元CubeSat外形尺寸和具有重大飞行传统的商用组件。母飞船通过执行远距离交会动作，将脱轨器立方卫星送至预定目标碎片附近。然后，母舰通过编队飞行演习对碎片形状和轨道状态进行原位测量。从母舰获释后，每个Deorbiter CubeSat都会执行与碎片对象的会合和附着操作。一旦附着在碎片上，CubeSat就会执行翻滚动作，通过该方法，使用Deorbiter的机载反作用轮倾倒CubeSat碎片系统的剩余角动量。在稳定了组合的脱轨器-碎片系统的姿态运动后，CubeSat进行脱轨操作，即降低系统的高度，以至于由于大气阻力（通常在地球上方约100 km），这些物体分解并燃烧起来表面。描述了为母舰和Deorbiter CubeSat计划执行的任务的姿态和轨道演习。研究了每个航天器在运行过程中的性能，使用板载组件的实际性能规格。根据结果​​讨论了所提出的碎片清除方法的可行性。