Experimental evaluation of robotic grasping strategies for on-orbit servicing

On-orbit servicing (OOS) is a key technology for sustainable space operations, enabling satellite maintenance, refueling, and upgrades. This paper presents an experimental investigation of robotic grasping strategies using a six-DOF robotic arm and a granite-based planar testbed simulating microgravity. A custom end-effector and metrology system support accurate tracking and capture. An enhanced RRTbased trajectory planner ensures safe maneuvering. Experimental results confirm the feasibility of autonomous grasping, highlighting the system’s strengths and limitations, and laying the groundwork for future extensions involving cooperative and uncooperative target capture in dynamic scenarios