Fig. 4: Docking mechanisms for microsatellites.
From: On-orbit servicing as a future accelerator for small satellites
a The centring cone features a base-mounted pin that enforces roll alignment and a slot for the electromagnet; the drogue incorporates three wings to actuate the fork sensors and axial grooves that accommodate the alignment pins. DOCKS is a smart docking system that integrates these elements to enable reliable mechanical capture and sensor-driven verification. Of particular importance is that this design is optimised for microsatellites: low mass, simple integration and minimal power draw make it suitable for high-volume deployment in constellations. Reproduced from Lion et al.61 under terms and conditions of the CC BY licence. b A three-dimensional representation of the bionic docking mechanism, illustrating the assembly of the gyro structure along with the gyro mechanism, a flexible rotating component and an encoder, in addition to the assembly of the sliding structure featuring the sliding mechanism, a flexible linear element and a linear displacement sensor. Reproduced from Xu et al.63 under terms and conditions of the CC BY licence.
