Patent ID: 9694919
Date: 2017-07-04
CPC Classifications: B64G

Claim:
1. Apparatus for a spacecraft, comprising: a planar space debris and meteoroid shield unit including at least one space debris and meteoroid shielding layer having a space debris and meteroid shielding surface; attachment means for attaching the space debris and meteoroid shield unit to a spacecraft body; and a driving apparatus configured to move the space debris and meteoroid shield unit between a stowed first position, a fully deployed second position and a fully deployed third position, the driving apparatus being further configured to hold the space debris and meteoroid shield unit in the fully deployed second position and in the fully deployed third position wherein the plane of the space debris and meteoroid shielding surface in the fully deployed positions is at an angle to the plane of the space debris and meteoroid shielding surface in the stowed first position whereby in the fully deployed second position the space debris and meteoroid shield unit impedes incident space debris and meteoroids and in the fully deployed third position the space debris and meteoroid shield unit provides increased atmospheric drag and/or debris sweeping.