Apparatus for grasping objects in space

An apparatus for grasping a target object in space, comprising:

• an orbital platform including a platform body, a controllably operable winch mounted in or on said platform body, and a first propulsion system including first propulsion nozzles mounted on said platform body;
• a free-flying grasper unit including a grasper unit body, a second propulsion system including second propulsion nozzles mounted on said grasper unit body, a camera, a distance measuring sensor, and a grasper-arm mechanism including an arm that is connected to and extends from said grasper unit body and a three-jawed grasping claw that is connected to a free distal end of said arm and is adapted to controlledly grasp the target object;
• and
• a cable that is connected to said grasper unit, and that is connected to and selectively wound-up on and unwound front said cable winch of said orbital platform, and that includes a mechanical tension-transmitting cable element and insulated electrical conductor lines that extend between said orbital platform and said grasper unit and are adapted to transmit electrical power and communication signals between said orbital platform and at least one of said grasper-arm mechanism, said second propulsion system, said camera and said distance measuring sensor of said grasper unit.

A free-flying grasper unit for grasping a target object in space, comprising:

• a grasper unit body,
• a propulsion system including propulsion nozzles arranged in multi-axis clusters mounted on said grasper unit body,
• a stereo camera arrangement mounted on said grasper unit body,
• a laser distance measuring sensor mounted on said grasper unit body,
• a grasper-arm mechanism including a telescoping arm that is connected to and selectively variably extends from said grasper unit body and a three-jawed grasping claw that is connected to a free distal end of said arm and is adapted to controlledly grasp the target object,
• a cable mounting point including a mechanical connection point and an electrical connection point respectively adapted to have a mechanical cable and an electrical cable connected thereto, whereby said grasper unit is adapted to be mechanically and electrically connected to an orbital platform via the cables and to receive control signals from the orbital platform via the electrical cable and said electrical connection point to control at least one of said propulsion system or said grasper-arm mechanism, and
• a plurality of mounting elements that extend from said grasper unit body opposite said grasper-arm mechanism and that are adapted to position and releasably mount Bald grasper unit relative to the orbital platform.