With increasing number of microsatellite launches, the mitigation of space debris is becoming a pressing problem. An easy-handling de-orbit device is required to deal with this issue. However, existing devices face some problems when being installed in a microsatellite. These problems include the volume, direction in which the booms are extended, and battery consumption. Since 2010, Tohoku University and Nakashimada Engineering Works, Ltd., have been developing a De-Orbit Mechanism (DOM) that deploys a thin film to drag microsatellites down to reenter the atmosphere. A DOM deployment procedure was devised to achieve light weight and low power consumption. For an early orbit demonstration of the DOM technology, Tohoku University and Nakashimada Engineering Works, Ltd., are developing a single-unit-size CubeSat named "FREEDOM," which aims to demonstrate a DOM. The DOM for FREEDOM is capable of deploying a thin square film with edge lengths of 1500 mm out of a total satellite mass of less than 1.33 kg. The film size vs. satellite weight ratio of the FREEDOM will be the highest in Japan and is one of the highest in the world. FREEDOM is planned to be delivered to the International Space Station by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and will be deployed into Low Earth Orbit (LEO) in 2016. This paper describes the structural design and verification results of FREEDOM.
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