Validation of electroadhesion as a docking method for spacecraft and satellite servicing

Abstract

An electrostatic gripping force is created when a non-conducting dielectric is placed between a conducting material and a series of oppositely charged monopolar electrodes. Given the non-uniformity of satellites and their typical lack of docking structures, electrostatic gripping is a promising option for docking to satellites for servicing and refueling. This research investigates the effectiveness of a high voltage electrostatic gripper in vacuum to validate its use as a docking method in space. Five linear actuators were mounted inside a vacuum chamber to create a 5 DOF test stand to examine normal, shear, peeling, and twisting forces on various test materials. To further assess the feasibility of the gripping system in docking operations, the gripper was mounted to a robotic arm atop a free-floating frictionless base on a special flat floor in the NASA MSFC Flight Robotics Laboratory to test satellite docking and capture maneuvers utilizing electroadhesion.