I wonder if having a big origami paper sail that unfolds as the satellite nears EOL would increase drag significantly enough to help the satellite de-orbit faster. How does de-orbiting usually work anyway? Shoot a thruster in the direction of travel and slow down?

Source: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S009457652... (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44513900)

It seems the wood-structure cubesat format would be better for this. [0] The stated goal is to "solve the space trash problem" with space planes that burn up easier in the atmosphere. It seems like it doesn't need aerodynamics if the goal is to burn it as it reaches the part of the atmosphere where aerodynamics start to matter. The LignoSat was surprisingly functional in a near-vacuum and a second prototype is expected to deploy in 2026.

[0] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/LignoSat