Research of Using Inflatable Braking Devices in the Orbital Service System Application

In this scientific work are considered questions regarding the use of inflatable braking devices to deorbit spacecrafts, thus avoiding the formation of new space debris. The principle of this technology is to increase the ballistic coefficient by creating a larger cross-sectional area of the space vehicle (compared to the original one) due to the deployment of braking devices. The final form of the disclosed braking device may be different. In this case, the spacecraft can initially be equipped with brake devices during its design and assembly on Earth. Another option is when the braking device is installed on the spacecraft after it has been classified as space debris. In this case, we need to capture the space debris and install the device. But then, it requires space debris to have a standardized interface for docking. In this scientific work, several variants of the form, arrangement of types and types of inflatable braking devices are considered. Next, a comparison of these devices according to various criteria is made and a conclusion is made about the advantages and disadvantages of using each of them.