Flexible Strip Link Device for Space Debris Harpooning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for removing space debris, such as harpooning, face challenges with stability and trajectory maintenance due to the lack of aerodynamic effects in space, leading to entanglement and misdirection issues with traditional cables.
Innovation Solution
A device using a strip that can be wound and unwound without hindering the projectile's trajectory, with a mechanical link allowing rotation and featuring a motor for deployment, guiding, and cutting mechanisms to manage the strip effectively, enabling precise orientation and distance-based debris retrieval.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional cable is used to link the harpoon to the target object, then the harpoon can be pulled out of the at-risk area, but the cable becomes entangled and the harpoon loses directional control in space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional cable with a flexible strip that can be wound and unwound. The strip is wound in a compact configuration around a support and can be deployed in a controlled manner, eliminating entanglement issues while maintaining the ability to pull the harpoon from the at-risk area
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a motorized winding and unwinding mechanism that dynamically controls the strip deployment. The motor can wind the strip back after use and deploy it on demand, providing adaptive control that prevents entanglement and maintains harpoon stability throughout the operation
2Speed
If a harpoon is launched in space without aerodynamic effects, then the harpoon can reach the target object, but the harpoon cannot maintain orientation in the desired direction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a guiding device that provides feedback control for the harpoon's orientation. This system monitors the harpoon's position and orientation relative to the target and adjusts the strip deployment accordingly, ensuring the harpoon maintains the desired trajectory direction despite the absence of aerodynamic effects
Solution Approach 2:
The patent pre-orientes the harpoon and strip system before launch by winding the strip in a specific configuration around the support. This preliminary arrangement ensures that when the harpoon is launched, it follows the intended trajectory and maintains proper orientation, compensating for the lack of atmospheric aerodynamic stabilization
3Reliability
If a gigantic net or robot vehicle is used to catch the debris, then the debris can be retrieved, but the solution is costly and difficult to implement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the debris retrieval operation into distinct functional segments: the harpoon for penetration, the flexible strip for connection and retrieval, the motor for controlled deployment, and the guiding device for trajectory control. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and simplifies the overall implementation compared to gigantic nets or complex robot vehicles
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible strip acts as an intermediary element between the harpoon and the retrieval mechanism. It provides a simple yet effective connection that allows the harpoon to be pulled back without requiring complex mechanical linkages or large-scale structures, significantly reducing implementation difficulty while maintaining reliable debris retrieval
Data Source
AI summary
A link device comprising a first object and a second object comprises a first strip, capable of passing from a configuration wound about an axis Z about a support fixed to the first object to a configuration deployed along an axis X substantially at right angles to the axis Z, the strip having an end intended to come into contact with the second object, so as to link the first object to the second object.