Design and optimisation of MASI On-Orbit Servicing capture module

The growing demand for sustainable and flexible space operations has increased interest in On-Orbit Servicing technologies. A central element for these missions is the development of standard robotic interfaces able to guarantee safe mating, structural load transfer, and, if required, utility transfer such as data, electrical and thermal power and fluidic connections. This paper presents the design and optimisation of the capture module of Modular Androgynous Standard Interface (MASI), a docking and berthing interface that is compatible with the Mechanical Interface for Capture at End-of-Life (MICE) and, when coupled with another MASI, provides extended capabilities for transferring data, electrical power, and fluids. The capture module of MASI performs mating through a three clamps mechanism actuated by a lead screw. An innovative graphical approach for designing the mechanism and ensuring compliance with the functional requirements, is presented in this paper. Moreover, structural optimisation and analysis were performed to minimise mass while ensuring compliance with the ECSS standards. A prototype was manufactured and tested under different translational and angular misalignment conditions using a hexapod platform, demonstrating the ability of MASI to capture the target interface and meet the defined requirements. This study highlights MASI as the first androgynous interface capable of operating with MICE, another existing system. Additionally, its performance aligns with that of other robotic interfaces, such as HOTDOCK, SIROM and iSSI.