SATELLITE AEROBRAKING AND PASSIVATION DEVICE AND METHOD

摘要

The invention relates to an aerobraking device (20) for a man-made satellite from an atmospheric planet, including at least one aerobraking sail (25) connected to at least one propellant tank (21) so as to be unfurled by an inflation gas from such a tank (21). At least one leak monitoring device (37) is suitable for releasing a leakage rate of inflation gas in space when each aerobraking sail (25) is unfurled, this leakage rate being suitable to enable a suitable inflation rate to be supplied into the aerobraking sail (25) so as to enable same to be unfurled, and to completely discharge and passivate the propellant tank (21) and the aerobraking sail (25) after same is unfurled. The invention extends to an aerobraking method and to a spacecraft including such a device.