Grasping Strategies and Dynamic Aspects in Satellite Capturing by Robotic Manipulator

Abstract

Since several years the interest in offering satellite services for maintenance and repair of malfunctioned satellites is strongly increasing. Automation and robotics (A&R) will become one of the most attractive areas for such applications. Currently, a very typical and actual application is dedicated to the rescue of a defect satellite (Rosat) in low earth orbit by means of a servicing satellite based manipulator. This paper presents a new manipulator design approach. It focuses on the development of grasping strategies in conjunction with the goal to reduce dynamic loads in the robotic manipulator.