Use of CYPRES™ cutters with a Kevlar clamp band for hold-down and release of the Icarus De-Orbit Sail payload on TechDemoSat-1

Kingston, J.; Hobbs, S.; Roberts, P.; Juanes-Vallejo, C.; Robinson, F.; Sewell, R.; Snapir, B.; Virgili Llop, J. and Patel, M. (2014). Use of CYPRES™ cutters with a Kevlar clamp band for hold-down and release of the Icarus De-Orbit Sail payload on TechDemoSat-1. Acta Astronautica, 100 pp. 82–93.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actaastro.2014.03.014

Abstract

TechDemoSat-1 is a UK-funded technology demonstration satellite, carrying 8 payloads provided by UK organisations, which is due to be launched in the first quarter of 2014. Cranfield University has supplied a De-Orbit Sail (DOS) payload to allow the mission to comply with end-of-life debris mitigation guidelines. The payload provides a passive, simple, and low-cost means of mitigating debris proliferation in Low Earth Orbit, by enhancing spacecraft aerodynamic drag at end-of-life and reducing time to natural orbital decay and re-entry. This paper describes the use of small commercial electro-explosive devices (EEDs), produced for use as parachute tether-cutters in reserve chute deployment systems, as low-cost but high-reliability release mechanisms for space applications. A testing campaign, including thermal vacuum and mechanical vibration, is described, which demonstrates the suitability of these CYPRES™ cutters, with a flexible Kevlar clamp band, for use as a hold-down and release mechanism (HDRM) for a deployable de-orbit sail. The HDRM is designed to be three-failure-tolerant, highly reliable, yet simple and low-cost.

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