End-of-Life Disposal and Active Debris Remediation - FlytrapÖ Capture Bag

TransAstraĺs FlytrapÖ is a durable bag supported by inflatable struts that can be used to capture space objects. Once captured, objects can be serviced or repositioned for deorbit. Flytrap can capture the large objects (greater than a few cm in diameter) that comprise the majority of space debris by mass. These objects also present the highest risk of generating new debris, according to the National Orbital Debris Research and Development Plan. Flytraps are lightweight and inexpensive yet durable, provide full containment of micro debris that may fall off captured larger debris, and can scale to capture objects up to 20m in diameter, such as spent rocket stages and defunct satellites. Flytraps are capable of trapping ~300kg spacecraft and can be carried as payloads on a range of rapidly deployable ESPA-class spacecraft buses after a responsive launch. This provides a technical solution for improved security, safety, mobility, and logistics in LEO, MEO, GEO, and beyond. A key feature of the Flytrap is that it does not require its target to have grappling fixtures or other accommodations, can handle objects of nearly arbitrary shape, and can manage uncertain target spin states.