If a US military satellite should be recovered in a Shuttle, the following points should be considered:
- does the satellite fit into the payload bay? (length, width, height and mass)
- how to grab the satellite, is there a special adapter for the robotic arm?
- how to disable the attitude control system and all thrusters of the satellite?
- how to prepare the satellite, what to fold and what to dismount?
- how to move the satellit into the payload bay?
- how to fix the satellite within the payload bay, are special adapters neccessary?
- how to disable self distroy charges of top secret satellite parts?
The payload satellite should not be damaged by the g-forces during reentry and landing on the runway. Nor should the payload bay be damaged by a floating satellite. The security of the Shuttle nor the astronauts should not be endangered by the satellite.
But how to solve all these points when stealing an unknown secret military satellite?