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Comparative Assessment of Target Capture Techniques for Space Debris Removal with CubeSats
Name
Clark_cubesats,pdf.pdf
Size
19.96 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
f082eb6644e8e525100a47ffa381775e
Author(s)
Clark, Christopher P.
Hastings, Daniel E.
Ricard, Michael J.
Masterson, Rebecca
Date Issued
November 3, 2021
Publisher
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Citation
Clark, Christopher P., Hastings, Daniel E., Ricard, Michael J. and Masterson, Rebecca. 2021. "Comparative Assessment of Target Capture Techniques for Space Debris Removal with CubeSats."
Version
Author's final manuscript
Abstract
The use of CubeSats for space debris removal represents a possible avenue for enabling
non-governmental operators to become involved in the maintenance of space. While their
small size and inexpensive components reduce barriers to entry for universities and companies,
certain technical challenges are magnified by CubeSats’ low inertia and power limitations. One
such area is target capture, in which an approaching CubeSat must establish a secure contact
point with a debris object prior to beginning the detumbling or deorbiting process. This paper
discusses nets, harpoons, and robotic arms as three possible strategies for target capture. Each
method is examined to identify key regimes of possible feasibility for CubeSat applications. A
dynamics model is introduced and utilized to simulate the relative motion of a CubeSat tethered
to a debris object, a situation encountered with both harpoon and net capture.
Terms of Use
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike
Persistent DSpace Link
DOI of Published Version
10.2514/6.2021-4107
