Advances in large-area membrane drag sail technology for standardized application on launch vehicle upper stages

To address the urgent need for mitigating the proliferation of space debris exceeding hundreds of kilograms in low Earth orbit (LEO), this study proposes a standardized membrane drag sail configuration tailored for launch vehicle upper stages. The proposed architecture overcomes persistent limitations in reliable stowage and repeatable deployment of multi-meter-scale space structures through systematic design strategies. A deployment boom-membrane co-design optimization framework enables ultracompact stowage (25m(2)-class sail area) within 174 mm x 174 mm x 176 mm volumetric constraints. A multi-dimensional validation regime encompassing hierarchically coupled mechanisms - including multi-stage release-drive-deployment processes (sequential control error <1%), full-spectrum mechanical environment simulations (5-100 Hz sinusoidal vibration, 20-2000Hz/10.16 g RMS random vibration), and thermal cycling assessments (-30( degrees)C to +65( degrees)C temperature variations) - has been instituted to verify mission-critical reliability under simulated extreme conditions. Fourteen successful in-orbit deployments demonstrate the system's effectiveness in reducing the orbital residency of 300kg-class derelict objects at 500 km altitude from several years to mere months. This technological breakthrough establishes the first flight-qualified drag sail subsystem for standardized launch vehicle payload modules, providing both theoretical foundations for scaling laws in passive deorbiting systems and a replicable engineering blueprint for large-scale implementation.