SBIR-STTR Award

Orbital Debris Removal System (ODRS)
Award last edited on: 4/3/2023

Sponsored Program
STTR
Awarding Agency
DOD : AF
Total Award Amount
$249,999
Award Phase
1
Solicitation Topic Code
AF21S-TCSO1
Principal Investigator
Cole Nielsen

Company Information

Orbital Composites Inc

1758 Rogers Avenue
San Jose, CA 95118
   (510) 825-9555
   info@orbitalcomposites.com
   www.orbitalcomposites.com

Research Institution

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Phase I

Contract Number: 2022
Start Date: Southwest Research I    Completed: 8/30/2022
Phase I year
2022
Phase I Amount
$249,999
Orbital Composites’ Orbital Debris Removal System (ODRS) is a novel concept that can remove millions of pieces of debris ranging in size from miniscule to very large at 50-100X lower cost than currently proposed solutions. Thousands of very long carbon fibers may be attached to a 6-12U CubeSat. A large ORB of de-orbiting tethers suspended in zero-G would automatically static charge-weld themselves to particles of ANY size upon contact. The fibers could be designed to attach to different materials, allowing for sorting the debris so that it can be recycled or selectively deorbited. The need for Active Debris Removal has never been higher and will only continue to proliferate. Current proposed solutions do not address small debris removal cost-effectively. ODRS can de-orbit any size object from sand to massive rocket-size. ODRS is low cost, inherently scalable, and deployable within 15 months. Orbital Composites (OC) seeks to validate the product-market fit between ODRS and ‘Low-cost Debris Removal’ through a feasibility study that includes a hardware demo to illustrate basic physics concept and a dynamic, near-realistic environment, software model in Unity that allows simulation of a future Debris Removal mission. This will set the foundation for clear and actionable mission plan for demonstration of the solution on orbit.

Phase II

Contract Number: FA9453-22-C-A063
Start Date: 12/30/2022    Completed: 00/00/00
Phase II year
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Phase II Amount
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