• Journal of Aerospace System Engineering
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.16-21
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• 2017

In this paper, we propose a new folding method (the blossom method) to increase storage efficiency of drag-sail. To resolve the issue caused by increase in the thickness of the sail, we allowed margin space (offset) along the folding line and made holes at the intersection of offset lines to prevent distortion of film. In addition, to verify applicability of the blossom method, we fabricated quarter of the sail by using Mylar film and conducted a deployment experiment. If the blossom method is applied, storage ratio (storage volume: deployed area) is 1: 68.64, that is approximately 1.88 times more than the z-fold method of folding sailing.