Speaker
Description
OHB Italia is leading the development of the Grappling and Docking Interface (GDI) for ESA’s In-Space-Proof-of-Concept 1 Mission (InSPoC-1), within the OHB consortium. The mission development has completed the Phase B1, following the conclusion of an intensive breadboarding test campaign.
The design of two different Grappling and Docking Interface architectures were outlined, and their performance examined through dedicated simulation models. The mechanisms are designed for large capture ranges, exceeding unit requirements, while the handling of smaller and larger payloads can be tackled by fostering their scalability and modularity features.
The design was supported by a dedicated breadboarding test campaign, in which the mechanisms were tested in an air-bearing test facility. During the test campaign, the docking performance was assessed by considering different levels of misalignments and relative velocities between the target and chaser platforms.
The test data allowed to perform the parameters identification and calibration of the breadboarding simulation models, and to extend their implementation in the flight simulation model, raising the reliability of the flight prediction simulations and analyses, and paving the way for Phase B2 iteration.
