Telescoping sample canister capture mechanism (TSCCM)

The current design allows for reliable misalignment-compensated capture for various sample container geometries in any initial orientation. After capture, the sample canister is aligned and presented for transfer. Honeybee has demonstrated the concept through tests of two- and three-dimensional telescopic capture mechanism breadboards. The telescopic capture mechanism design is scalable, minimizes volume and can be made of lightweight material to minimize mass, all of which are critical aspects of spacecraft design.