Design of an Adaptive Drive for Spacecraft Docking Mechanism

Adaptive drive is a self-regulating gear mechanism with constant engagement using of gear transmission with variable gear ratio. The paper presents the design of an adaptive drive for a docking mechanism in a spacecraft. The adaptation of the two-movable systems is achieved due to the proposed new type of transmission, namely the design of a stepless multi-speed drive with an additional friction clutch. The reliable adaptation of a two-movable self-regulating mechanical drive consists in self-adaptability to an external load balancing friction clutch, which ensures the connection of the friction moment with the relative angular velocity.