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This is the first of two companion papers that describe the development of the RemoveDEBRIS; mission. This first article focusses on the mission design and hardware development up to the delivery of the spacecraft to the launch authority. The Secord article describes the in-orbit operations. The European Commission funded RemoveDebris mission has been the world's first Active Debris Removal (ADR) missions to demonstrate, in orbit, some cost effective key technologies, including net and harpoon capture; and elements of the whole sequence of operations, like the vision-based navigation, ultimately planning to terminate the mission with the deployment of the dragsail to de-orbit the craft. The mission has utilized two 2U CubeSats as artificial debris targets released from the main 100 kg satellite, to demonstrate the various technologies. This paper examines the design of the mission from initial concepts through to Manufacture, Assembly Integration and Testing of the payloads, up to launch, and apart from a general consideration of the mission, will focus on the elements of design and testing that differ from a conventional mission.

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Nomenclature B = body frame B cm = center of mass of the vehicle in B e = error, generic F ai = aerodynamic forces for axis i, expressed in B, N F gi = gravity forces for axis i, expressed in B, N F pi = propulsive forces for axis i, expressed in B, N h = altitude, m I = inertial frame M ai = aerodynamic moments about axis i at B cm , expressed in B, N · m M pi = propulsive moments about axis i at B cm , expressed in B, N · m p, q, r = angular rate, deg ∕s t p = transitioning period, time taken to transition, s u, v, w = velocity of B cm with respect to I, expressed in B, m∕s u c = velocity setpoint command, m∕s v c0= horizontal cruise speed, m∕s α, β = angle of attack, sideslip angle, deg δ c , δ w = thrust, collective, rpm commands δ e , δ a = elevator (via elevon), aileron (via elevon) deflection commands δ r , δ p , δ y = roll, pitch, yaw commands, from twin rotors δ tr = transition coordinator command ϵ = setpoint smoothness η = setpoint sampling frequency, Hz θ c = pitch setpoint command, deg ϕ, θ, ψ = Euler angles, deg ϕ v , θ v , ψ v = vertical Euler angles, deg