Magnetic Capture Technology for Affordable Microsat/Nanosat Servicing

One of the keys to enabling affordable servicing of small satellites in Low-Earth Orbit is the development of lightweight, low-cost interfaces that satellite developers can build into satellites prior to launch. These interfaces can dramatically lower the cost and increase the utility of servicing satellites. In this Phase I/II effort, Altius is developing a magnetic capture/servicing system with no moving parts, enabling easy capture and servicing of even tumbling spacecraft. In Phase I, Altius developed and demonstrated conceptual designs of a combination grappling/servicing panel sized for use on cubesats and microsatellites, developed and demonstrated a Dual-Mode ElectroPermanent-Magnetic (EPM) capture head, and performed an economic simulation of LEO servicing in sun synchronous orbit (SSO). In Phase II, Altius will perform flight development and qualification of the combination grappling/servicing panel, and will develop a brassboard prototype of the Dual-Mode EPM capture head. Altius and its partners will also develop a 3DOF capture dynamics simulation for the Dual-Mode EPM capture head and combination panel, and will validate the simulations using air-bearing testing. Lastly, Altius and its partners will expand its Phase I economic model to assess the feasibility of servicing a multi-plane LEO telecommunications megaconstellation.