This paper mainly focuses on the impact contact problem during docking process of flexible probe. The docking dynamic model based on flexible probe is developed with the help of Lagrange analytical method. The modal equation of flexible rod is derived with the effect of the rigid counterweight considered. The contact models of docking impact in both normal and tangential directions are presented in detail. The time history of impact contact force, the shape and size of contact area, the distribution of contact stress and local deformation, and the effect of structural flexibility to the contact surface are discussed based on the theoretical model. Moreover, the ground-based docking impact experiment is conducted to verify the theoretical results. length of flexible beam angle between axis direction of chaser satellite and horizontal direction distance between the end of flexible beam and mass center of the chaser satellite counterweight of chaser satellite principal inertia moment of chaser satellite whole mass of target satellite principal inertia moment of target satellite density of docking probe coefficient of sliding friction Poisson ratio Poisson ratio geometric parameter of the cone cone angle axial displacement lateral deflection mode function of flexible beam modal coordinate modal exponent number mass inertia moment of docking probe mass inertia moment of the counterweight of chaser satellite deflection angle of the x-direction relative to the horizontal direction non-zero constant pressure distribution on the contact area local maximum stress loaded at the contact ellipse semi-major axis of the contact ellipse minor semi-axis of the contact ellipse first kind of complete elliptic integral second kind of complete elliptic integral elliptic eccentricity relative main curvature radius relative main curvature radius crossing angle between the two main curvature surfaces modulus of elasticity of docking probe modulus of elasticity of docking cone normal compression deformation total external load equivalent radius tangential displacement correction coefficient sectional inertia moment of docking probe 
Contact analysis of flexible beam during space docking process