Robustness and Safety of Net-Based Debris Capture Under Deployment and Environmental Uncertainties

Tethered net systems are considered one of the most effective solutions for addressing the problem of space debris. However, it is crucial to study the robustness of net-based debris capture in the presence of a wide range of possible activation and environmental uncertainties. The aim of this study was to analyze the limitations and operational envelope of tethered net systems in capturing space debris, with a particular focus on robustness and safety. The success of capture in nonnominal conditions was investigated, with errors considered in the target position, angular velocity, and parameters concerning the ejection of the net. In the sensitivity study, a capture quality index and mission safety factor were used to evaluate the success or failure of capture in an automated way. The quantitative relationships between relative parameter errors and capture evaluation metrics are also presented. The results of the sensitivity studies are promising and suggest that the target capture is robust to inaccuracies in the mission parameters beyond what is expected in reality.