Simulation Analysis and Experimental Verification of the Transport Characteristics of a High-Volume CubeSat Storage Device

To enhance the efficiency and extent of space resource development and utilization, this paper proposes a device designed for large-scale storage and transport of multi-species CubeSats, characterized by its high storage density and efficient transport capabilities. This paper comprehensively describes the structural composition and operational principles of this storage and transport system. Using dynamic simulation analysis, this paper studies the deployment mechanism of CubeSats within the push device and identifies the movement rules of the CubeSats during the deployment process. Simulation results show that under microgravity conditions, the average linear displacement speed of CubeSats reaches 32.8 mm/s during the pushing process. A prototype of the storage device was developed and tested for scenarios where the CubeSat’s initial position is aligned or misaligned relative to the transport pallet. The test results demonstrate that when the CubeSat’s initial attitude is misaligned, its pose can be autonomously adjusted to an ideal state upon entering the capture slide, with a maximum deviation of less than one degree. The designed push device and transport pallet exhibit robust anti-interference and tolerance capabilities. The transport process after pushing was tested, and the CubeSat pushed into the transport pallet was able to be stably transported to the designated location. In this process, the movement of the transport pallet was not interfered with by the storage device. The pushing device can complete the pushing task well.