Soft Robots for On-Orbit Servicing (OOS) Missions

In response to the escalating demand for space exploration, the potential of space robots has gained significant attention. Within the realm of on-orbit servicing, the development of on-orbit robotic capabilities dedicated to the mission such as servicing of satellite, orbital debris removal, or construction and maintenance of orbital asset exerts a profound and indispensable influence. Cable-actuated continuum arms exhibit superior capabilities over conventional counterparts when grasping uncontrolled CubeSats. This paper introduces a novel continuous arm space robot design, dedicated to the dual tasks of satellite docking and maintenance, facilitated through the collaborative efforts of multiple arms. The Constant Curvature model (PCC) method is employed to formulate the kinematic model, while dynamic modeling utilizes Lumped Parameter methods and Simulink Multibody methods, and the robot workspace is analyzed. In the final section of the paper, potential areas for future research directions and further research are discussed.