Abstract
In order to realize the robust docking and capturing system, the efficient development methods based mainly on the high-fidelity numerical simulations were proposed and investigated. Efficiency on the probabilistic design analysis to cover the various uncertainties, and reduction of the required number of the model validation and system certification tests are key issues. Contact force models for the spacecrafts under the microgravity environment are currently investigated in this study. It was found that the dynamic structural finite element method (FEM) analysis and the reduced-order model are the promising approach to understand key physics mechanism and to predict the contact force characteristics accurately under the wide range conditions. It was found that the reduction in the initial contact kinetic energy due to the irreversible plastic deformation is the root cause of reduction in coefficient of restitution. Numerical results were generally in good agreement with the proposed ball drop test results without changing constitutive law model parameters. Contact force characteristics predicted by the reduced-order model employed in ADAMS© with optimized model parameters were agree well with the FEM results.
