This thesis presents the design procedure of a control system to implement over a docking mechanism, developed for on-orbit servicing of cooperative satellites. The mechanism's prototype is part of the SAPERE-STRONG mission, with the aim of performing an active docking procedure between low-mass satellites, recovering the residual misalignment during the last approach and dissipating the energy associated with the relative velocities between spacecrafts upon contact. The chaser element is the active part and consist of a central docking mechanism, with a sliding probe structure. The control development started from the study of the mechanical behaviour of the mechanism and of the available electrical hardware to implement.