The non-cooperative satellite capturing nozzle device based on laser range finders guidance

Expansion Rod Capturing Nozzle Device based on Laser Range Finders Guidance is developed to capture the non-cooperative satellite by capturing the main engine nozzle. The capturing device is integrated with capturing mechanism of expansion rod, Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) controller, multi-sensors with laser range finders and Force/Torque Sensor, which utilizes the design concept of the optics, mechanism and electricity unitization. In order to capture the nozzle by the “soft” contact way, six laser range finders are radially arranged in the capturing device to sense the nozzle pose. The measuring range of laser range finder is 25-350mm, and the measuring accuracy is 2%. By the finders, capturing device can achieve the function of accurately approaching and reaching the capturing and locking location in the capturing process of extremely close to nozzle, to capture the non-cooperative satellite. The experiments are carried out capture the nozzle by the capturing device utilizing the finders real-time measurement. The experiments demonstrate the capturing device has the ability to capture and lock the satellite nozzle.