Design, Modeling, and Ground Test of a Tethered CubeSat with a Rotational Net

Abstract

Tethered CubeSats are one of the main techniques used in active space debris removal. In this work, a tethered CubeSat was designed for space debris removal using a rotational deployment of the net structure. Firstly, the system composition and prototype of the CubeSat were designed. Secondly, the structure and workflow design of the payload are introduced. Thirdly, the dynamic model for the rotational deployment of the flexible network and the corresponding finite element calculation model were established. Finally, a ground experimental verification of the rotational deployment process of a flexible net was performed. The results demonstrate that the satellite payload designed in this study undergoes stable net structure deployment in ground environments. The maximum deployment area can reach 85.2% of the total area of the net structure. The design of the payload in this paper can serve as a reference for tethered CubeSat design in space debris removal missions. As the space environment becomes more congested, the need for effective debris mitigation and removal strategies will increase in importance. The European Space Agency (ESA) has planned to launch a space robot in 2025 to carry out the world’s first space debris removal mission, known as ClearSpace-1. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has proposed a project named Optical Removal of Ionospheric Neutrals (ORION) to clear space debris. Although flexible net capture is a common method for removing space debris, it is prone to entanglement during deployment, which can hinder the successful execution of the debris capture mission. This paper designed a satellite payload for space debris removal. The payload consists of a rope net device rotated by centrifugal force, which effectively avoids the entanglement issues associated with the flexible net. The research presented in this paper can serve as a valuable reference for space debris removal using the flexible net capture method.