Using Claw on orbital debris?

[MaverickSawyer]

I have a spent stage orbiting Kerbin in a heavily frequented altitude belt, and I want to dispose of it into the atmosphere. I was thinking of using the Claw for this, but after a rendezvous and four failed captures, I gave up on it.

Is there a certain speed one must be at for the Claw to engage, or does it just not grab space junk?

Edited April 5, 2014 by MaverickSawyer
Question answered.

[Vanamonde]

I've grabbed discarded boosters, Kerbals on EVA, and another test ship, and it all worked. Like docking, though, you have to be going pretty slow so that it doesn't bounce off. Have you tried it around 0.1-0.2m/s?

[MaverickSawyer]

Yep, that 's about the closing speed I had. Old habit from my Orbiter days, where approaching at more than 0.2 m/s caused you to fly right through the docking port.

[palioxis1248]

If the claw comes in at a really oblique angle to the surface of whatever you're trying to grab (which is especially a problem for round objects like tanks), it might not stick.

[MaverickSawyer]

If the claw comes in at a really oblique angle to the surface of whatever you're trying to grab (which is especially a problem for round objects like tanks), it might not stick.

Aha... that's the problem then. Thank you for the info!