Systems, methods, and devices for robotic capture of a free flyer or other unsupported object

A system for robotic capture of a free flyer object, the system comprising:

• a grapple fixture for mounting to the free flyer object and an end effector for interfacing with the grapple fixture to capture the free flyer object;
• the grapple fixture comprising:
• a base having a mounting surface for mounting to the free flyer object and a mating surface opposing the mounting surface for mating with the end effector;
• and
• a deflectable probe connected to the base via a deflectable joint for enabling deflection of the deflectable probe, the deflectable probe including a probe tip for grappling;
• the end effector, comprising:
• an interface for connecting to and enabling manipulation by a robotic arm or a spacecraft with direct capture enablement capability;
• a probe guiding surface for one or more of deflecting and guiding the probe tip of the deflectable probe towards and through an opening in the probe guiding surface and into a grappling position as the end effector is moved towards the grapple fixture and the grapple fixture is within a capture envelope of the end effector;
• a probe sensing element for sensing when the probe tip is in the grappling position and triggering a capture mechanism upon sensing the probe tip in the grappling position;
• the capture mechanism, the capture mechanism configured to grapple the probe tip when triggered by presence of the probe tip, the grappling of the probe tip creating a connection that constrains separation of the grapple fixture from the end effector (“soft capture”);
• and
• an actuator configured to retract the capture mechanism along a capture axis to a predetermined position at which the mating surface of the base of the grapple fixture is preloaded against the probe guiding surface to establish a load-bearing interface between the free flyer object and the end effector (“hard capture”).

An end effector for performing robotic capture of a free flyer object having a grapple fixture mounted thereon, the end effector comprising:

• a probe guiding surface for guiding a probe of the grapple fixture into a grappling position;
• a capture mechanism for grappling a probe tip of the probe when the probe is in the grappling position, the grappling constraining the separation of the grapple fixture and the end effector;
• and
• a hard capture mechanism for constraining the angular motion of the probe by retracting the grappled probe until the grapple fixture is preloaded against the probe guiding surface to establish a load-bearing interface between the free flyer object and the end effector.

A method of robotic capture of a free flyer object, the method comprising:

• moving an end effector towards a grapple fixture on the free flyer object such that the grapple fixture is within a capture envelope of the end effector;
• guiding a deflectable probe of the grapple fixture towards and through an opening in the probe guiding surface into a grappling position via a probe guiding surface of the end effector;
• sensing the deflectable probe is in the grappling position and triggering a grappling mechanism;
• grappling the deflectable probe with the grappling mechanism to constrain motion of the free flyer object in a least one degree of freedom upon sensing the deflectable probe is in the grappling position;
• retracting the grappled deflectable probe along a capture axis to a predetermined position to remove angular and lateral offsets of the free flyer object relative to the end effector and to bring a mating surface of the grapple fixture into contact with the probe guiding surface;
• and
• rigidizing the interface between the grapple fixture and the end effector by retracting the grappling mechanism to a point at which the grapple fixture is preloaded against alignment features on the probe guiding surface.