New method of capturing tumbling object in space and its control aspects

A method of capturing tumbling objects in a non-gravitational field is proposed, aiming at future on-orbit service missions such as capturing failed satellites or a manned vehicle which loses control, or removing debris. The key technology for this capture is how to compensate for the difference of rotational motions between the chaser and the target at the moment of capture. Most conventional methods use manipulator movement for this objective while keeping the position and attitude of the chaser body constant, which limits the allowable rotational velocity and patterns of the tumbling motion of the target. In the proposed method, the chaser aligns its rotational motion with the target´s one by appropriate control before capturing the target, which is expected to enlarge the allowable target rotational motion range. Technical issues to realize it are discussed and our approach to them are proposed, which is verified with some computer simulations and hardware experiments