High tolerance rate space debris capture device and method

Abstract

The application provides a high-capacity space debris capturing device and method, and the capturing device comprises a rope net, a rope net storage tank, a rope net unfolding and closing system and a rope net recycling system; the capturing method comprises the following steps: step 1, the high-storage-rate unfoldable thin-walled rod wound on a rotating shaft is stretched outwards through the rope net unfolding and closing system, the rope net is taken out from the rope net storage tank, the rope net is unfolded, and the space debris is placed in the rope net; step 2, the rope net closing rope is wound through the rope net unfolding and closing system, the rope net is closed, and the space debris is wrapped in the rope net; step 3, the capturing device winds the rope net recycling rope through the rope net recycling system, the space debris is pulled towards the satellite, the capturing is locked, the space debris is prevented from loosening and escaping, and the debris capturing is completed. The method has the advantages of simple transmission mechanism, light mass, small volume in the storage state, high stiffness after the high-storage-rate unfoldable thin-walled structure rod is unfolded, and high capturing precision.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of aerospace satellite technology, particularly the field of space capture technology, and specifically relates to a space debris capture device and method with high tolerance. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of space technology, the space environment is becoming increasingly crowded. Space debris, including abandoned satellites, rocket remnants, and other fragmented objects, poses a significant threat to space missions and the operation of related spacecraft. Because space debris often lacks maneuverability and moves at high speeds and randomly in space, it greatly increases the risk of spacecraft collisions. Furthermore, collisions between objects generate even more debris, further exacerbating the space debris problem and creating a so-called "debris chain reaction," which significantly hinders the sustainable development of space resources. Meanwhile, as of 2021, there were over 20,000 cataloged and traceable pieces of space debris, while the number of smaller pieces that cannot be tracked due to limitations in observation methods is estimated to exceed 100 million and continues to increase.

[0003] Space capture technology is a technique used to capture, control, and manipulate space objects, aiming to solve the aforementioned problems and ensure the sustainability and safety of the space environment. Existing capture methods can be structurally categorized into rigid and flexible methods. Rigid capture methods primarily utilize grappling hooks and gripper arms. Chinese patent application number 202011270231.6 discloses a capture mechanism using a grappling hook arm. When the capture device approaches space debris, the grappling hook penetrates the debris to achieve capture and lock-on. However, its drawback is that the grappling hook penetration process can damage the structure of the space debris, creating new debris. As for capture methods using gripper arms, their disadvantage is that the target must be a fixed-size object with a regular shape. This limits its versatility for space debris of uncertain shape and size. Furthermore, these rigid capture methods place high demands on the precision of the satellite's attitude control system, resulting in a low tolerance. Flexible capture methods mainly include semi-flexible capture mechanisms and space debris capture methods using rope nets. Chinese patent application number 202123033525.X discloses a capture mechanism that uses multi-ring parallel closed-chain linkages to achieve a semi-flexible claw capture method. This allows for a larger target size range than conventional claws and greater applicability to target shapes. However, this capture mechanism has a complex structure and transmission mechanism, and it is difficult to control the launch weight when capturing large targets. Chinese patent application number 201310503724.3 discloses a rope net capture mechanism. This mechanism uses a flying net capture method, employing pyrotechnic systems such as igniters and detonators to launch the rope net. The net unfolds through mass blocks at its edges, achieving capture. However, because the rope net is connected to the capture satellite by a single flexible rope, the large amount of gas generated by the pyrotechnic system during the net's launch and unfolding process may cause a change in the net's launch direction, leading to a decrease in capture accuracy. Furthermore, the presence of the pyrotechnic system significantly reduces the structural safety and reliability. Chinese Patent Application No. 201910106194.6 discloses a rope net capture mechanism that uses a robotic arm to tighten the rope net and complete the capture. Compared with the traditional flying net capture method, this structure has a higher deployment rate and higher capture reliability. However, its large robotic arm structure also has the defects of excessive mass and excessive storage volume, making it unsuitable for large targets to be captured. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the aforementioned problems in the existing technology, this invention proposes a space debris capture device and method with high tolerance. This device has high integration, small storage volume, can be mounted on microsatellites of different sizes, has high capture accuracy, high capture tolerance, and high versatility for the captured targets.

[0005] The technical solution provided by this invention is:

[0006] A high-tolerance space debris capture device includes a rope net, a rope net storage tank, a rope net deployment and retraction system, and a rope net retrieval system;

[0007] The rope net is used to wrap space debris;

[0008] The rope net deployment and retraction system includes a high-capacity deployable thin-walled rod, a gear transmission system, a support rod deployment system, and a rope net retraction rope. The high-capacity deployable thin-walled rod is a bistable thin-walled rod, meaning it can be completely wound around a rotating shaft for stability, or deployed with a certain rigidity to provide stable support. The bottom end of the high-capacity deployable thin-walled rod is housed within the support rod deployment system, and the top end of the high-capacity deployable thin-walled rod is fixedly connected to the opening end of the rope net using a binding wire to support the deployment of the rope net. The gear transmission system is located at the bottom of the capture device and provides driving force for the rope net deployment and retraction system. The support rod deployment system is installed above the gear transmission system and is used to house and deploy the high-capacity deployable thin-walled rod. The rope net retraction rope passes through the opening end of the rope net, and its two free ends are connected to the gear transmission system for retracting the rope net after capturing space debris.

[0009] The rope net recovery system is installed above the support rod deployment system and is used to pull and recover the rope net after the rope net is closed, so as to prevent space debris from loosening and escaping.

[0010] The rope net storage box, used to store undeployed rope nets, is a regular square truncated pyramid structure with an open top surface, and is fixedly installed on the outer shell of the rope net retrieval system via its bottom surface. A circular hole is provided at the center of the bottom surface of the rope net storage box, through which the rope net retrieval rope passes. Eight limiting blocks are provided on the outer edges of the four sides of the top surface of the rope net storage box. When the capture device is installed on the satellite, the eight limiting blocks and the edge of the satellite shell form four limiting holes, which limit the movement of the high-capacity deployable thin-walled rod passing through these limiting holes.

[0011] Furthermore, the gear transmission system includes a gear base plate, a transmission shaft gear, a bottom ratchet structure, an upper ratchet structure, a vertical reduction motor, a vertical reduction motor mount, and a gear base plate support column. The gear base plate is a square plate and serves as the base plate for the entire capture device. On one hand, the entire capture device is fixedly mounted on the satellite via the gear base plate; on the other hand, the transmission shaft gear, the bottom ratchet structure, and the gear base plate support column are assembled on the base plate. The inner turntable of the bottom ratchet structure is a ratchet mechanism, and the outer turntable is a gear. When the inner turntable of the bottom ratchet structure rotates... When the inner turntable rotates counterclockwise, it drives the outer turntable to rotate synchronously. The bottom ratchet mechanism is rotatably mounted at the center of the gear base plate, and the four drive shaft gears are rotatably mounted at the four corners of the gear base plate. The outer turntable of the bottom ratchet mechanism meshes with the drive shaft gears. When the bottom ratchet mechanism rotates counterclockwise, it drives the four drive shaft gears to rotate clockwise. The inner turntable of the upper ratchet structure is a ratchet mechanism, and the outer turntable is cylindrical. The two free ends of the rope net's closing rope are fixedly connected to the outer turntable of the upper ratchet structure. When the inner turntable of the upper ratchet structure rotates clockwise... When rotated, it drives the outer turntable to rotate synchronously, causing the rope at the end of the rope net to wrap around the outer turntable of the upper ratchet structure, thereby shortening the rope at the end of the rope net and achieving the purpose of closing the rope net. The upper ratchet structure is rotatably mounted above the lower ratchet structure and is coaxial with the lower ratchet structure. The vertical reduction motor is coaxially fitted with the lower ratchet structure and the upper ratchet structure. When the vertical reduction motor rotates clockwise, it can drive the lower ratchet structure to rotate counterclockwise, thereby driving the transmission shaft gear to rotate clockwise, while the upper ratchet structure does not rotate counterclockwise. When the vertical reduction motor reverses, it drives the upper ratchet structure to rotate clockwise, while the lower ratchet structure and the drive shaft gear do not rotate. The vertical reduction motor base is used to fix the vertical reduction motor to the bottom of the support rod unfolding system. The gear base plate support column is fixedly installed at the middle position of the four edges of the base plate and is used to connect with the support rod unfolding system. The height of the gear base plate support column is higher than that of the lower ratchet structure and the drive shaft gear, ensuring that the lower ratchet structure and the drive shaft gear can rotate smoothly in their respective positions.

[0012] Furthermore, the support rod deployment system includes a rotating shaft base plate, a drive shaft, a bevel gear set, a rotating shaft, a rotating shaft layer support column, and a rotating shaft layer top plate. The bottom of the rotating shaft base plate is a square with the same dimensions as the gear base plate, and a circular hole with a size matching the diameter of the upper ratchet structure is provided in the center. The rotating shaft base plate is fixedly installed above the gear transmission system through the gear base plate support column. The drive shaft passes through the rotating shaft base plate and engages with the gear of the drive shaft below. L-shaped mounting plates are also provided at the four corners of the rotating shaft base plate, dividing the area above the rotating shaft base plate into a central cross-shaped area and four square areas at the corners. There are four rotating shafts, each rotatably mounted between the four L-shaped mounting plates, i.e., located in the cross-shaped area. A protruding end is provided on one side of each rotating shaft, which passes through the L-shaped mounting plate and forms an intersecting axis with the drive shaft at a 90° angle, located within the four square areas at the corners. The bevel gear set consists of four... For bevel gears of the same specifications, the bevel gears are respectively installed on the protruding ends of the drive shaft and the rotating shaft. The bevel gears mesh with each other to form an intersecting shaft transmission, realizing the rotation of the rotating shaft driven by the vertical reduction motor. The surface of the rotating shaft is fixedly connected to the bottom end of the high-capacity unfoldable thin-walled rod. The high-capacity unfoldable thin-walled rod is wound and stored on the rotating shaft, and the rotation of the rotating shaft completes the unfolding. The rotating shaft layer support columns are fixedly installed on the four corners of the rotating shaft layer bottom plate, and the height is the same as that of the L-shaped mounting plate. The rotating shaft layer top plate is fixedly installed on the rotating shaft layer support columns. The vertical reduction motor is fixedly installed below the rotating shaft layer top plate through the vertical reduction motor seat. The rotating shaft layer top plate is a square with the same size as the bottom size of the rotating shaft layer bottom plate. Rectangular notches are provided on the four sides of the top plate to facilitate the installation and maintenance of the rotating shaft. A rectangular limiting hole is provided near the inner side of the rectangular notch, which plays a limiting role for the high-capacity unfoldable thin-walled rod passing through the limiting hole.

[0013] Furthermore, the rope net retrieval system includes a horizontal motor base, a horizontal geared motor, a retrieval winch, a rope net retrieval rope, and a rope net retrieval system housing. The horizontal motor base is used to fix the horizontal geared motor above the top plate of the rotating shaft layer, with the motor shaft facing upwards, and is installed in conjunction with the retrieval winch. One end of the rope net retrieval rope is tied to the root of the rope net, and the other end is fixedly connected to the retrieval winch for retrieving the rope net after successful capture. The rope net retrieval system housing is square and fixedly installed at the center of the top plate of the rotating shaft layer. Its size is smaller than the unopened area in the center of the top plate of the rotating shaft layer, ensuring that after installation, the housing can surround the horizontal geared motor, the motor base, and the retrieval winch, but does not obstruct the rectangular limiting hole on the top plate of the rotating shaft layer. The function of the rope net retrieval system housing is to limit the position of the retrieved rope net.

[0014] Furthermore, the high-capacity unfoldable thin-walled rod is an anti-symmetrical ply composite material column shell, or a composite / metal material herringbone rod, or a pod rod.

[0015] Furthermore, the rope net is not a conventional mesh structure woven from a certain material. Any structure that meets the following conditions can be the rope net involved in this invention: 1. It has a high degree of containment for space debris; 2. It has a flexible structure with a high storage capacity.

[0016] Furthermore, the upper ratchet structure is connected to the rope net closing rope by adhesive bonding or by directly binding it to the surface of the upper ratchet structure.

[0017] Furthermore, the connection between the recovery winch and the recovery rope of the rope net is by adhesive bonding or by directly binding it to the recovery winch.

[0018] The method for capturing space debris using the aforementioned high-tolerance space debris capture device includes the following steps:

[0019] Step 1: Upon receiving the capture command, the vertical reduction motor in the rope net unfolding and retraction system of the capture device rotates forward, driving the bottom ratchet structure to rotate counterclockwise. This, in turn, drives the rotating shaft to rotate through the transmission shaft gear, transmission shaft, and bevel gear. The high-capacity unfoldable thin-walled rod wound on the rotating shaft extends outward under the drive of the rotating shaft, thereby driving the rope net to move outward from the rope net storage box. At the same time, it pulls the rope net retraction rope and the rope net recovery rope to extend, realizing the unfolding of the rope net. When the rope net is fully unfolded, it takes the shape of a trumpet under the support of the thin-walled structure rod. At this time, the satellite control system realizes the positioning of the capture device and places the space debris inside the rope net.

[0020] Step 2: The vertical reduction motor of the net unfolding and closing system of the capture device rotates in opposite directions, driving the upper ratchet structure to rotate clockwise, thereby winding the net closing rope. The net closing rope is tightened, realizing the closing of the net in the form of a "cloth bag". The thin-walled support rod bends under the tension of the net closing rope. The buckling section appears at the contact point with the captured debris. When the net closing ends, the space debris is completely wrapped in the net.

[0021] Step 3: The transverse reduction motor in the rope and net retrieval system of the capture device starts working, driving the retrieval winch to rotate, which in turn winds the rope and net retrieval rope. The rope and net retrieval rope is tightened, realizing the retrieval of the rope and net, pulling the space debris toward the satellite. At the same time, the support stiffness of the unbuckled section at the root of the high-capacity deployable thin-walled rod restricts the position of the space debris to achieve capture and locking, preventing the space debris from loosening and escaping, thus completing the debris capture.

[0022] The advantages of this invention are:

[0023] Compared to conventional rigid robotic arm capture devices, this capture device uses a rollable, retractable, thin-walled rod with a high retractability. It has a simple transmission mechanism, is lightweight, has a small volume when retracted, is highly modular, and has a regular shape. It can be completely stored inside the satellite as a separate module.

[0024] Compared to common net capture systems, this capture device uses a high-capacity deployable thin-walled rod as a support rod for the net to unfold. Because the high-capacity deployable thin-walled rod has good rigidity after unfolding, the net unfolding process is more controllable. The good rigidity of the thin-walled rod after unfolding means that the net and the satellite can be regarded as a whole after unfolding, thus enabling the capture device to achieve the same control accuracy as the satellite and capture accuracy is higher.

[0025] Furthermore, compared to traditional capture mechanisms, the opening area of ​​this capture device can be set to be several times the axial projection area of ​​the space debris, which has a higher tolerance for satellite control errors and can be installed on satellites with low control precision. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the rope net when it is fully extended according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure within the dashed line;

[0028] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a gear transmission system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the bottom ratchet structure and the upper ratchet structure in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the support rod deployment system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the gear transmission system, support rod deployment system, rope net recovery system, and rope net storage box according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a rope net storage box according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the installation of the present invention in a satellite according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0034] Figure 9 This is the connection method between the closing rope and the upper ratchet structure in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the rope net deployment state in step 1 of the capture process according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the rope net closing process in step 2 of the capture process according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the rope and net retrieval process in step 3 of the capture process according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] In the diagram: 1-Satellite outer shell; 2-Space debris; 3-High-capacity deployable thin-walled rod; 4-Rope net; 5-Rope net closing rope; 6-Rope net recovery rope; 7-Gear base plate; 8-Drive shaft gear; 9-Bottom ratchet structure; 91-Outer turntable of bottom ratchet structure; 92-Inner turntable of bottom ratchet structure; 10-Upper ratchet structure; 101-Outer turntable of upper ratchet structure; 102-Inner turntable of upper ratchet structure; 11-Vertical reduction motor; 12-Vertical motor base; 13-Gear base plate support column; 14-Shaft layer base plate; 141-L-shaped mounting plate; 15-Drive shaft; 16-Bevel gear set; 17-Shaft; 171-Shaft protruding end; 18-Shaft layer support column; 19-Shaft layer top plate; 191-Shaft layer top plate notch; 192-Shaft layer top plate limiting hole; 193-Retracting rope inlet; 20-Horizontal motor base; 21-Horizontal geared motor; 22-Recovery winch; 23-Rope and net recovery system housing; 24-Rope and net storage box; 25-Limiting block. Detailed Implementation

[0039] To make the technical problems solved, the technical solutions, and the beneficial effects of this invention clearer and to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the invention, the invention will be further described in detail and in full below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the invention.

[0040] This invention proposes a high-tolerance space debris capture device, one embodiment of which is, for example... Figures 1 to 8 As shown, the device is installed inside the satellite shell 1 near one end of the satellite and includes a rope net 4, a rope net storage box 24, a rope net deployment and retraction system, and a rope net retrieval system.

[0041] The rope net 4 is used to wrap space debris; in this embodiment, the rope net 4 is made of soft nylon fabric.

[0042] The rope net unfolding and closing system includes a high-capacity unfoldable thin-walled rod 3, a gear transmission system, a support rod unfolding system, and a rope net closing rope 5;

[0043] The high-capacity expandable thin-walled rod 3 is a thin-walled rod with bistable characteristics. That is, the thin-walled rod can be completely wrapped around the rotating shaft 17 to maintain stability, or it can be unfolded and has a certain rigidity to serve as a support rod to provide stable support for the rope net 4. The top end of the high-capacity expandable thin-walled rod 3 is fixedly connected to the open end of the rope net 4 by binding wire to support the unfolding of the rope net 4.

[0044] The gear transmission system, used to provide driving force for the deployment and retraction system of the rope net 4, includes a gear base plate 7, a transmission shaft gear 8, a bottom ratchet structure 9, an upper ratchet structure 10, a vertical reduction motor 11, a vertical reduction motor base 12, and a gear base plate support column 13. The gear base plate 7 is a square plate and serves as the base of the entire capture device. On one hand, the entire capture device is fixedly mounted on the satellite via the base plate 7; on the other hand, the transmission shaft gear 8, the bottom ratchet structure 9, and the gear base plate support column 13 are assembled on the base plate 7. The inner turntable 91 of the bottom ratchet structure 9 is a ratchet mechanism. The outer turntable 92 is a gear. When the inner turntable 91 of the bottom ratchet structure rotates counterclockwise, it can drive the outer turntable 92 to rotate synchronously. The bottom ratchet mechanism 9 is rotatably mounted at the center of the base plate 7, and four transmission shaft gears 8 are rotatably mounted at the four corners of the base plate 7. The bottom ratchet mechanism 9 meshes with the transmission shaft gears 8. When the bottom ratchet mechanism 9 rotates counterclockwise, it can drive the four transmission shaft gears 8 to rotate clockwise. The inner turntable 101 of the upper ratchet structure 10 is a ratchet mechanism, and the outer turntable 102 is a cylinder. The rope net closing rope 5 is tied to the outer turntable 102 of the upper ratchet structure. When the inner turntable 101 rotates clockwise, it drives the outer turntable 102 to rotate synchronously, causing the rope net's closing rope 5 to wrap around the outer turntable 102 of the upper ratchet structure, thereby shortening the rope net's closing rope 5. The upper ratchet structure 10 is rotatably mounted above the lower ratchet structure 9 and is coaxial with the lower ratchet structure 9. The vertical reduction motor 11 is coaxially mounted with the lower ratchet structure 9 and the upper ratchet structure 10. When the vertical reduction motor 11 rotates clockwise, it drives the lower ratchet structure 9 to rotate counterclockwise, thereby driving the transmission shaft gear 8 to rotate clockwise, while the upper ratchet structure 10... When the vertical reduction motor 11 reverses, it can drive the upper ratchet 10 structure to rotate clockwise, while the lower ratchet structure 9 and the drive shaft gear 8 do not rotate. The vertical reduction motor base 12 is used to fix the vertical reduction motor 11 to the bottom of the support rod unfolding system. The gear base plate support column 13 is fixedly installed at the middle position of the four edges of the base plate 7 and is used to connect with the support rod unfolding system. The height of the gear base plate support column 13 is slightly higher than the lower ratchet structure 9 and the drive shaft gear 8, ensuring that the lower ratchet structure 9 and the drive shaft gear 8 can rotate smoothly in their respective positions.

[0045] The support rod deployment system includes a rotating shaft base plate 14, a drive shaft 15, a bevel gear set 16, a rotating shaft 17, a rotating shaft layer support column 18, and a rotating shaft layer top plate 19. The rotating shaft base plate 14 has a square bottom with the same dimensions as the gear base plate 7, and a circular hole in the center with a diameter matching that of the upper ratchet structure 10. The rotating shaft base plate 14 is fixedly installed above the gear transmission system via the gear base plate support column 13. The drive shaft 15 passes through the rotating shaft base plate 14 and engages with the lower drive shaft gear 8. The shaft base plate 14 is provided with L-shaped mounting plates 141 at its four corners. These four L-shaped mounting plates 141 divide the area above the shaft base plate 14 into a central cross-shaped region and four square regions at the corners. Four shafts 17 are rotatably mounted between the four L-shaped mounting plates 141, located within the cross-shaped region. One side of each shaft 17 has a protruding end 171, which passes through the L-shaped mounting plate 141 and intersects with the transmission shaft 15 at a 90° angle, located within the square regions at the four corners. The bevel gear set 16 consists of four... For bevel gears of the same specifications, the bevel gears are respectively installed on the protruding ends 171 of the drive shaft 15 and the rotating shaft. The bevel gears mesh with each other to form an intersecting shaft transmission, realizing the rotation of the rotating shaft 17 driven by the vertical reduction motor 11. The surface of the rotating shaft 17 is fixedly connected to the bottom end of the high-capacity unfoldable thin-walled rod 3. The high-capacity unfoldable thin-walled rod 3 is wound and stored on the rotating shaft 17, and the rotation of the rotating shaft 17 completes the unfolding. The rotating shaft layer support columns 18 are fixedly installed on the four corners of the rotating shaft layer bottom plate 14, and the height is the same as that of the L-shaped mounting plate 141. Similarly; the top plate 19 of the rotating shaft layer is fixedly installed on the supporting column 18 of the rotating shaft layer, and the vertical reduction motor 11 is fixedly installed below the top plate 19 of the rotating shaft layer through the vertical reduction motor seat 12; the top plate 19 of the rotating shaft layer is a square with the same size as the bottom size of the bottom plate 14 of the rotating shaft layer, and rectangular notches 191 are provided on the four sides of the top plate 19 to facilitate the installation and maintenance of the rotating shaft 17. A rectangular limiting hole 192 is provided near the inner side of the rectangular notch 191 to limit the high storage capacity unfoldable thin-walled rod 3 passing through the limiting hole 192.

[0046] The rope 5, which is the closing rope of the rope net, passes through the open end of the rope net 4. The two free ends of the closing rope 5 first pass through the closing rope inlet 193 on the surface of the top plate 19 of the rotating shaft layer, and then pass through the opening in the middle of the L-shaped mounting plate 141 to connect with the upper ratchet structure 10. Figure 9 As shown; when the vertical reduction motor 11 drives the upper ratchet structure 10 to rotate clockwise, the rope net closing rope 5 gradually wraps around the outer turntable 101 of the upper ratchet structure, thereby tightening the closing rope 5 and realizing the closing of the rope net 4 in the form of a "cloth bag".

[0047] The rope and net retrieval system includes a horizontal motor base 20, a horizontal reduction motor 21, a retrieval winch 22, a rope and net retrieval rope 6, and a rope and net retrieval system housing 23. The horizontal motor base 20 is used to fix the horizontal reduction motor 21 above the top plate 19 of the rotating shaft layer, with the motor shaft facing upwards, and is installed in conjunction with the retrieval winch 22. One end of the rope and net retrieval rope 6 is tied to the root of the rope and net 4, and the other end is tied to the retrieval winch 22, for retrieval of the rope and net 4 after successful capture. The rope and net retrieval system housing 23 is square and fixedly installed at the center of the top plate 19 of the rotating shaft layer. Its size is slightly smaller than the center unopened area of ​​the top plate 19 of the rotating shaft layer, ensuring that after installation, the housing 23 can surround the horizontal reduction motor 21, the motor base 22, and the retrieval winch 23, but does not obstruct the rectangular limiting hole 192 on the top plate 19 of the rotating shaft layer. The function of the rope and net retrieval system housing 23 is to limit the position of the retrieved rope and net 4.

[0048] The rope net storage box 24, used to store the undeployed rope net 4, is a regular square truncated pyramid structure with an open upper bottom surface, and is fixedly installed on the outer shell 23 of the rope net retrieval system through the lower bottom surface. The lower bottom surface of the rope net storage box 24 has a circular hole at its center, through which the rope net retrieval rope 6 and the closing rope 5 pass. The upper bottom surface of the rope net storage box 24 has eight limiting blocks 25 on the outer edges of its four sides. When the capture device is installed on the satellite, these eight limiting blocks 25 and the edge of the satellite outer shell 1 form four limiting holes, which limit the high-capacity deployable thin-walled rod 3 passing through the limiting holes.

[0049] In this embodiment, the high-capacity unfoldable thin-walled rod is an anti-symmetrically ply C-shaped composite material column shell. In the stowed state, the free end of the thin-walled support rod 3 is flush with the top of the rope net storage box 24.

[0050] The method for capturing space debris using the aforementioned capture device comprises the following steps:

[0051] Step 1: Upon receiving the capture command, the vertical reduction motor 11 in the rope net unfolding and retraction system of the capture device rotates clockwise, driving the bottom ratchet structure 9 to rotate counterclockwise. This, in turn, drives the rotating shaft 17 to rotate via the transmission shaft gear 8, transmission shaft 15, and bevel gear. The high-capacity unfoldable thin-walled rod 3, wound on the rotating shaft 17, extends outward under the drive of the rotating shaft 17, thereby causing the rope net 4 to move outward from the rope net storage box 24. Simultaneously, it pulls the rope net retraction rope 5 and the rope net recovery rope 6 outward, realizing the unfolding of the rope net 4. When the rope net 4 is fully unfolded, it forms a trumpet shape under the support of the thin-walled structure rod 3, as shown... Figure 10 As shown, at this time, the satellite control system locates the capture device and places the space debris 2 inside the rope net 4;

[0052] Step 2: The vertical reduction motor 11 of the capture device's net unfolding and closing system rotates in the opposite direction, driving the upper ratchet structure 10 to rotate clockwise, thereby winding the net closing rope 5. The net closing rope 5 is tightened, achieving a "cloth bag"-like closing of the net 4. The thin-walled support rod 3 bends under the tension of the net closing rope 5, with the buckling section appearing at the contact point with the captured fragment 2. The closing of the net 4 is complete, and the spatial fragment 2 is completely encased within the net 4. Figure 11 As shown;

[0053] Step 3: The transverse reduction motor 21 in the rope and net retrieval system of the capture device starts working, driving the retrieval winch 22 to rotate, thereby winding the rope and net retrieval rope 6. The rope and net retrieval rope 6 is tightened, realizing the retrieval of the rope and net 4, pulling the space debris 2 toward the satellite. At the same time, relying on the support stiffness of the unbuckled section of the root 3 of the high-capacity deployable thin-walled rod, the position of the space debris 2 is restricted to achieve capture and locking, preventing the space debris 2 from loosening and escaping, thus completing the debris capture. Figure 12 As shown.

[0054] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the principle of the present invention and without creative effort. These improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A high-tolerance space debris capture device, characterized in that: Includes rope nets, rope net deployment and retraction systems, and rope net recovery systems; The rope net is used to wrap space debris; The rope net deployment and retraction system includes a high-capacity deployable thin-walled rod, a gear transmission system, a support rod deployment system, and a rope net retraction rope. The high-capacity deployable thin-walled rod is a thin-walled rod with bistable characteristics. The bottom end of the high-capacity deployable thin-walled rod is housed inside the support rod deployment system, and the top end is fixedly connected to the opening end of the rope net using a binding wire to support the deployment of the rope net. The gear transmission system is located at the bottom of the capture device and provides driving force for the rope net deployment and retraction system. The support rod deployment system is installed above the gear transmission system and is used to house and deploy the high-capacity deployable thin-walled rod. The rope net retraction rope passes through the opening end of the rope net, and its two free ends are connected to the gear transmission system for retracting the rope net after capturing space debris. The bistable characteristic means that the thin-walled rod can both be completely wrapped around the rotating shaft to maintain stability and also have a certain stiffness after deployment to provide stable support as a support rod. The rope net recovery system is installed above the support rod deployment system and is used to pull and recover the rope net after the rope net is closed, so as to prevent space debris from loosening and escaping. The gear transmission system includes a gear base plate, a transmission shaft gear, a bottom ratchet structure, an upper ratchet structure, a vertical reduction motor, and a vertical reduction motor mount. The gear base plate is a square plate used to mount the entire capture device on the satellite; and the drive shaft gear and the bottom ratchet structure are assembled on the gear base plate. The inner turntable of the bottom ratchet structure is a ratchet mechanism, and the outer turntable is a gear. When the inner turntable of the bottom ratchet structure rotates counterclockwise, it can drive the outer turntable to rotate synchronously. The bottom ratchet structure is rotatably mounted at the center of the gear base plate, and the four drive shaft gears are rotatably mounted at the four corners of the gear base plate. The outer turntable of the bottom ratchet structure meshes with the drive shaft gears. When the bottom ratchet structure rotates counterclockwise, it can drive the four drive shaft gears to rotate clockwise. The inner turntable of the upper ratchet structure is a ratchet mechanism, and the outer turntable is a cylinder. The two free ends of the rope closing rope are fixedly connected to the outer turntable of the upper ratchet structure. When the inner turntable of the upper ratchet structure rotates clockwise, it can drive the outer turntable to rotate synchronously, so that the rope closing rope is wrapped around the outer turntable of the upper ratchet structure, thereby shortening the rope closing rope and achieving the purpose of closing the rope net. The upper ratchet structure is rotatably installed above the bottom ratchet structure and is coaxial with the bottom ratchet structure. The vertical reduction motor is coaxially fitted with the bottom ratchet structure and the upper ratchet structure.

2. The high-tolerance space debris capture device according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a rope net storage box, which is used to store undeployed rope nets. The rope net storage box is a regular square truncated pyramid structure with an open top surface, and is fixedly installed on the outer shell of the rope net retrieval system through the bottom surface. The bottom surface of the rope net storage box has a circular hole at its center, through which the rope net retrieval rope passes. The four edges of the top surface of the rope net storage box have eight limiting blocks on their outer edges. When the capture device is installed on the satellite, the eight limiting blocks and the edge of the satellite shell form four limiting holes, which limit the high-capacity deployable thin-walled rod passing through the limiting holes.

3. The high-tolerance space debris capture device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The gear transmission system also includes a gear base plate support column, which is mounted on the gear base plate. The gear base plate support column is fixedly installed at the middle position of the four edges of the base plate for connection with the support rod unfolding system; the height of the gear base plate support column is higher than the bottom ratchet structure and the drive shaft gear, ensuring that the bottom ratchet structure and the drive shaft gear can rotate smoothly in their respective positions.

4. The high-tolerance space debris capture device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The support rod deployment system includes a bottom plate of the rotating shaft layer, a drive shaft, a bevel gear set, a rotating shaft, a supporting column of the rotating shaft layer, and a top plate of the rotating shaft layer; The bottom of the rotating shaft base plate is a square with the same dimensions as the gear base plate, and a circular hole with a size matching the diameter of the upper ratchet structure is provided in the center; the rotating shaft base plate is fixedly installed above the gear transmission system by the gear base plate support column; the transmission shaft passes through the rotating shaft base plate and engages with the transmission shaft gear below; L-shaped mounting plates are also provided at the four corners of the rotating shaft base plate, and the four L-shaped mounting plates divide the upper part of the rotating shaft base plate into a cross-shaped area in the middle and square areas at the four corners; There are four rotating shafts, which are rotatably mounted between four L-shaped mounting plates. Each rotating shaft has a protruding end on one side, which passes through the L-shaped mounting plate and forms an intersecting shaft with the drive shaft at an angle of 90°, located within a square area at the four corners. The bevel gear set consists of four pairs of identical bevel gears, which are respectively installed on the protruding ends of the drive shaft and the rotating shaft. The bevel gears mesh with each other to form an intersecting shaft drive, thereby enabling the rotating shaft to rotate by a vertical reduction motor. The surface of the rotating shaft is fixedly connected to the bottom end of the high-capacity unfoldable thin-walled rod. The high-capacity unfoldable thin-walled rod is wound and stored on the rotating shaft, and unfolding is completed by the rotation of the rotating shaft. The pivot layer support columns are fixedly installed at the four corners of the pivot layer bottom plate, and their height is the same as that of the L-shaped mounting plate. The top plate of the rotating shaft layer is fixedly installed on the supporting column of the rotating shaft layer, and the vertical reduction motor is fixedly installed below the top plate of the rotating shaft layer through the vertical reduction motor seat. The top plate of the rotating shaft layer is a square with the same size as the bottom size of the bottom plate of the rotating shaft layer. Rectangular notches are provided on the four sides of the top plate to facilitate the installation and maintenance of the rotating shaft. A rectangular limiting hole is provided near the inner side of the rectangular notch to limit the high-capacity unfoldable thin-walled rod passing through the limiting hole.

5. The high-tolerance space debris capture device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The rope and net retrieval system includes a horizontal motor base, a horizontal geared motor, a retrieval winch, a rope and net retrieval rope, and a rope and net retrieval system housing. The horizontal motor base is used to fix the horizontal geared motor above the top plate of the shaft layer, with the motor shaft facing upwards, and is installed in conjunction with the retrieval winch. One end of the rope and net retrieval rope is tied to the root of the rope and net, and the other end is fixedly connected to the retrieval winch for retrieval of the rope and net after successful capture. The rope and net retrieval system housing is square and fixedly installed at the center of the top plate of the shaft layer. Its size is smaller than the unopened area in the center of the top plate of the shaft layer, ensuring that after installation, the housing can surround the horizontal geared motor, the motor base, and the retrieval winch, but does not obstruct the rectangular limiting hole on the top plate of the shaft layer. The function of the rope and net retrieval system housing is to limit the position of the retrieved rope and net.

6. The high-tolerance space debris capture device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The high-capacity unfoldable thin-walled rod is an anti-symmetrical ply composite material column shell, or a composite / metal material herringbone rod, or a pod rod.

7. The high-tolerance space debris capture device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper ratchet structure is connected to the rope net closing rope by adhesive bonding or by directly binding it to the surface of the upper ratchet structure.

8. The high-tolerance space debris capture device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The connection between the recovery winch and the recovery rope of the rope net is either glued or directly tied to the recovery winch.

9. A method for capturing space debris using the high-tolerance space debris capture device described in claim 1, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Step 1: Upon receiving the capture command, the vertical reduction motor in the rope net unfolding and retraction system of the capture device rotates forward, driving the bottom ratchet structure to rotate counterclockwise. This, in turn, drives the rotating shaft to rotate through the transmission shaft gear, transmission shaft, and bevel gear. The high-capacity unfoldable thin-walled rod wound on the rotating shaft extends outward under the drive of the rotating shaft, thereby driving the rope net to move outward from the rope net storage box. At the same time, it pulls the rope net retraction rope and the rope net recovery rope to extend, realizing the unfolding of the rope net. When the rope net is fully unfolded, it takes the shape of a trumpet under the support of the thin-walled structure rod. At this time, the satellite control system realizes the positioning of the capture device and places the space debris inside the rope net. Step 2: The vertical reduction motor of the net unfolding and closing system of the capture device rotates in opposite directions, driving the upper ratchet structure to rotate clockwise, thereby winding the net closing rope. The net closing rope is tightened, realizing the closing of the net in the form of a "cloth bag". The thin-walled support rod bends under the tension of the net closing rope. The buckling section appears at the contact point with the captured debris. When the net closing ends, the space debris is completely wrapped in the net. Step 3: The transverse reduction motor in the rope and net retrieval system of the capture device starts working, driving the retrieval winch to rotate, which in turn winds the rope and net retrieval rope. The rope and net retrieval rope is tightened, realizing the retrieval of the rope and net, pulling the space debris toward the satellite. At the same time, the support stiffness of the unbuckled section at the root of the high-capacity deployable thin-walled rod restricts the position of the space debris to achieve capture and locking, preventing the space debris from loosening and escaping, thus completing the debris capture.

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