Simulation of Deployable Cable Nets for Active Debris Removal in Space

Deployable cable nets have been proposed as promising systems for the active removal of space debris. The modelling and analysis of such systems during deployment, capture, and post-capture phases are crucial for the effective design of an operative mission. To this aim, accurate and effective simulation tools are necessary. We propose a finite element model of the cable net with lumped nodal masses and first-order cable elements. The nodal positions are assumed as the main unknowns of the problem. The large displacements and finite deformations are described by the Green-Lagrange strain tensor. The cable elements are assumed to react only in tension. Global damping is considered in line with Rayleigh’s hypothesis. The governing equations are solved numerically by means of the Runge-Kutta method with a variable time step. As an illustrative example, we present the simulation of the in-plane deployment of a planar, square-mesh net. The proposed approach turns out to be computationally effective, even if the accuracy of the numerical integration scheme needs to be improved, particularly in the final stages of deployment.