A Platform for Autonomous Robotic Assisted Capture of Resident Space Objects

The ability to protect and extend the operational lifetimes of existing satellite infrastructure through servicing (ISAM) or active debris removal (ADR) is critical to protecting U.S. interests in space. The safe capture of resident space objects (RSOs), be they derelict spacecraft or expensive critical infrastructure, is a prerequisite to any such space activities. However, addressing the "last meter" challenges in RPOD missions, wherein a client spacecraft is safely captured and berthed to a servicing vehicle, still has many technological hurdles, and is generally solved on a per-mission basis with costly bespoke software and hardware. PickNik has partnered with Altius Space Machines to develop the first complete, bolt-on solution to augment any spacecraft bus with fully autonomous capture capabilities. The Altius built BARC and MR CLAW robotic hardware system has been designed from the ground up to support grasping and locking to tumbling space hardware that lacks dedicated grasp fixtures. This robotic hardware system will be integrated into MoveIt Studio, PickNikĺs hardware agnostic software product for developing sophisticated autonomous functionality. We will demonstrate the platformĺs abilities to support capture maneuvers in relevant testing environments, and show the solutionĺs clear path to integration for future government and commercial customers.