Laelaps
As a proving ground for our calculations, the MK1 Laelaps spacecraft will establish communication with ground stations and measure thrust variations on the way to a target orbit. Once the MK1 spacecraft demonstrates it can reach the target orbit, it will rendezvous with a planned piece of nearby orbital debris. The selected piece will have no known anomalous properties but is likely to be spinning in some axis or combination of axes. In this case, KMI will utilize TumblEye to characterize the object, allowing Laelaps to match the rotation of the debris, and retrieve the debris with REACCH. Our mission with MK1 is to collect two or more pieces, dependent on the debris location and maneuvering efficiency. Future designs will improve on the lessons learned and data developed from the demonstration flight of the first Laelaps craft.
REACCH
To complete a removal, maneuver, or ADR mission, KMI has to securely interface with orbital objects, even though most are uncontrolled and unprepared for capture. REACCH is an exclusive, mechanically articulated end effector with a novel combination of previously validated technologies and mechanical gecko adhesion to enable soft and secure capture of objects in space. REACCH is capable of non-destructively securing and selectively releasing objects of nearly any shape, size, or surface condition, making it extremely ubiquitous in capturing a wide variety of objects within a multi-use, multi-capture framework.
Asteria
Asteria is an innovative adhesive technology that allows the coupling of payloads to legacy and modern Resident Space Objects (RSOs), enhancing ISAM capabilities, improving tracking, and facilitating deorbit needs. For persistent attachment, Asteria uses gecko adhesion to attach new payloads to unprepared RSO, enabling passive disposal, future interfacing or servicing, life extension, or adversarial defense. This technology allows for permanent attachment of modules to unprepared surfaces without requiring continuous power input or external support for this capability. This technology utilizes omnidirectional gecko adhesion to establish a viable method of permanent attachment to objects in space, on a wide range of compatible material and surface types, for a wide range of applications.
