According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method comprising: propelling a servicing spacecraft to an object; deploying one or more counter mass(es) away from a servicing spacecraft bus to offset the center of mass of the servicing spacecraft into an empty volume; approaching the object, by the servicing spacecraft; positioning the center of mass of the servicing spacecraft in approximately the same location as the center of mass of the object; imparting angular momentum to the servicing spacecraft to match the tumble rate of the object; and contacting the object with one or more mechanical attachments to the servicing spacecraft.
METHOD AND DEVICE FOR CAPTURE OF TUMBLING SPACE OBJECTS
VERFAHREN UND VORRICHTUNG ZUR ERFASSUNG VON OBJEKTEN IN EINEM TAUMELNDEN RAUM
PROCÉDÉ ET DISPOSITIF DE CAPTURE D'OBJETS SPATIAUX TOURNOYANTS
2023-11-22
Patent
Elektronische Ressource
Englisch
IPC: | B64G Raumfahrt , COSMONAUTICS |
METHOD AND DEVICE FOR CAPTURE OF TUMBLING SPACE OBJECTS
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