Dynamic modeling and simulation on rope capturing by space large end effector

Capturing the target successfully is the key to accomplish the on-orbit service tasks such as space station assembling, satellite maintenance and refueling in the future. The end effector based on the wire rope has the properties of big tolerance and soft capturing, so it has a definite advantage to capture the spacecraft which is of large inertia and high speed. A dynamics model of the rope using 6 dimensions spring flexible connection was built based on the discretization method, and the contact force between the rope and the target was introduced to obtain the dynamic model of capturing by the end effector. This model fully considers the process of contact-impact between the wire rope and the target. Because of having the ability to predict and prevent the impact brought during the capturing process, it is a meaningful exploration in designing of mechanism and controller, and is also an effective supplement for the physical experiment to solve the problem that it is difficult to do the ground test of space large target capturing for China in the future.