Design and test of a semiandrogynous docking mechanism for small satellites.

This paper presents a novel docking mechanism to provide small spacecraft with the ability to join and separate in space. At today small satellites mating technologies have never been verified in space nor scaled to CubeSat size; the few proposed ports implement simple probe-drogue interfaces, with the limitation to dock only with different-gender ports, or androgynous geometries, with complex and non-axis-symmetric latches. The mechanism presented in this work overcomes the aforementioned drawbacks, using a hybrid port that can act both as probe and drogue. This paper presents the mechanism design and analysis, focusing on the port kinematics and on the load transmission during its actuation and docking procedures. Experimental verification allows us to validate numerical simulations and determine the operative range of the port in terms of alignment ranges allowing the solid joint creation. Transmitted loads always under 3 N are shown during the docking transient, while the port displays to manage misalignments up to 5 ° and 15 mm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]