Comparative Assessment of Target Capture Techniques for Space Debris Removal with CubeSats

The use of CubeSats for space debris removal represents a possible avenue for enabling non-governmental operators to become involved in the maintenance of space. While their small size and inexpensive components reduce barriers to entry for universities and companies, certain technical challenges are magnified by CubeSats’ low inertia and power limitations. One such area is target capture, in which an approaching CubeSat must establish a secure contact point with a debris object prior to beginning the detumbling or deorbiting process. This paper discusses nets, harpoons, and robotic arms as three possible strategies for target capture. Each method is examined to identify key regimes of possible feasibility for CubeSat applications. A dynamics model is introduced and utilized to simulate the relative motion of a CubeSat tethered to a debris object, a situation encountered with both harpoon and net capture. Differences in potential operating regimes are highlighted for the three methods, and conclusions are drawn about their possible realms of effectiveness.