Abstract: For capturing satellites and other orbital objects, one or more independent capturing units are releasably arranged on a spacecraft serving as a steerable carrier vehicle. Each capturing unit has a propellant charge and at least one braking thrust nozzle of its own, and a closeable capture net releasably connected to the capturing unit via a tether line. The net is deployed from the capturing unit to capture the orbital object. Position or attitude control engines of the carrier vehicle are operated for orienting the combination including the capturing unit and the orbital object captured in the net. The capturing unit is then released from the carrier vehicle, and applies a braking thrust to the captured object so as to deorbit the captured object together with the capturing unit.

Abstract: In a recovery and braking device for objects flying freely in space, particularly for capturing satellites and other orbital objects, (at least one,) preferably a larger number of capturing units (2) are arranged on a spacecraft serving as a steerable carrier vehicle (1), wherein the capturing units are separable from the spacecraft, are equipped with a propellant charge of their own, and comprise a closeable capture net (4) releasably connected via a line (5). The carrier vehicle is equipped with position or attitude controlling engines (6), in order to achieve an orienting of the coupled mass configuration in preparation for the separation. In that regard, several capturing units can be combined into a series or parallel connection.