  Small-satellites and CubeSats offer a low-cost pathway to access Low Earth
Orbit at altitudes of 450 km and lower thanks to miniaturization and
advancement in reliability of commercial electronics. However, at these low
altitudes, atmospheric drag has a critical effect on the satellite resulting in
natural deorbits within months. As these small systems further increase in
reliability and radiation tolerance they will be able readily access higher
orbits at altitudes of 700 km and higher, where atmospheric drag has little to
no effect. This requires alternative technologies to either de-orbit these
small spacecrafts at the end of life or move them to a safe parking orbit. Use
of propulsion and de-orbit mechanisms have been proposed, however they require
active control systems to be trigged. Other typical de-orbit mechanism relies
on complex mechanisms with many moving parts. In this work, we analyze the
feasibility of using inflatable de-orbit devices that are triggered passively
when a spacecraft is tumbling. Inflatables have already been proposed as
hypersonic deccelerators that would carry large payload to the Martian surface.
However, these systems are quite complex and need to withstand high-forces,
temperature and enable survival of a critical payload. Furthermore, inflatables
have been proposed as communication antennas and as structures using a class of
sublimates that turn into gas under the vacuum of space. These inflatables
system are relatively simple and does not require a specialized inflation
system.
