SPACE DEBRIS CAPTURING DEVICE AND SPACE DEBRIS REMOVING DEVICE

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To so suppress a force required for driving a harpoon into space debris in order to attach a device having a space debris removal function to the space debris and a reaction force generated when driving the harpoon as to be small.SOLUTION: A harpoon 41', which is driven into a surface Y of debris X, is provided with a first harpoon part 43 of a large diameter and a second harpoon part 44 of a small diameter which is accommodated in a storage part 43b of the first harpoon part. When the harpoon 41' is driven into a portion which is not reinforced by a rib Z of the surface Y, the whole of the harpoon 41' penetrates the surface Y and is locked on a reverse side. Further, when the harpoon 41' collides with a portion which is reinforced by the rib Z of the surface Y, the second harpoon part 44, which has already penetrated the surface Y, is caused to be jumped out by inertia from the storage part 43b of the first harpoon part 43 which stopped on the surface Y, and caused to penetrate the surface Y and to be locked on the reverse side. Alternatively, the second harpoon part 44, which is driven into the debris X, is connected to the debris X by friction and metal bond with the surface Y, or mechanical lock.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 12