Modelling of Deployable Cable Nets for Active Space Debris Removal

Space debris represent a true risk for current and future activities in the circumterrestrial space, and remediation activities must be set out to guarantee the access to space in the future. For active debris removal, the development of an effective capturing mechanism remains an open issue. Among several proposals, cable nets are light, easily packable, scalable, and versatile. Nonetheless, guidance, navigation, and control aspects are especially critical in both the capture and post-capture phases. We present a finite element model of the deployment of a net in space. We consider a lumped mass/cable net system taking into account non-linearities arising both from large displacements and deformations, and from the different response of cables when subject to traction and compression. The problem is stated by using the nodal coordinates as Lagrangian coordinates. The nonlinear dynamic response of the system is obtained by direct integration of the equations of motion.