Satellite for rendezvous and docking using electric propulsion thrusters

    公开(公告)号:US12097979B1

    公开(公告)日:2024-09-24

    申请号:US18205526

    申请日:2023-06-03

    Inventor: Arnon Spitzer

    CPC classification number: B64G1/646 B64G1/244 B64G1/40

    Abstract: Satellite systems and methods to perform rendezvous and docking between a servicer satellite and an on-orbit satellite, and specifically to satellite systems and methods to perform rendezvous and docking between a servicer satellite and an on-orbit client satellite using electric propulsion thrusters. In one aspect, a servicer satellite with a set of thruster arms each attached to an electric propulsion thruster performs acceleration, deceleration, and steering maneuvers through six degree of freedom positioning of the thrusters, the same set of thruster arms and thrusters performing station keeping of the docked servicer-client satellite system.

    Method of providing thermal balance of satlet electronics

    公开(公告)号:US11661215B2

    公开(公告)日:2023-05-30

    申请号:US16518018

    申请日:2019-07-22

    Inventor: Talbot Jaeger

    Abstract: A method for providing thermal balance of spacecraft electronics is provided. The spacecraft includes two or more electronic units wherein each electronic unit is capable of performing the same spacecraft operational task. The method for balancing the temperature of spacecraft electronics further includes providing each of the two or more electronic units with a temperature sensor for determining the temperature of that electronics unit. The electronic units and their respective temperature sensors are connected to a controller. In the event that the controller determines that the temperature of an activated first electronics unit has reached or exceeded a predetermined threshold, and the controller has determined that the temperature of a second deactivated electronics unit is below a predetermined threshold, the controller automatically deactivates the first electronics unit and activates the second electronics unit to perform the task previously being performed by the first electronics unit. This process continues automatically.

    METHOD AND DEVICE FOR CONTROLLING ATTITUDE OF A SPACECRAFT

    公开(公告)号:US20180072435A1

    公开(公告)日:2018-03-15

    申请号:US15563271

    申请日:2016-03-31

    CPC classification number: B64G1/283 B64G1/244 B64G1/26 B64G1/286 B64G2001/245

    Abstract: A method of controlling the attitude of a spacecraft in spinning around itself with a non-zero total angular momentum HTOT. The spacecraft includes a set of inertia flywheels configured to form an internal angular momentum HACT. The axis of the total angular momentum HTOT is aligned with a principal axis of inertia of the spacecraft, in the course of which the inertia flywheels are controlled to form an internal angular momentum HACT. The following expression, in which J is the inertia matrix of the spacecraft: Hact×J−1(HtotJ−1Htot) is negative if the principal axis of inertia targeted is the axis of maximum inertia of the spacecraft and is positive if the principal axis inertia targeted is the axis of minimum inertia of the spacecraft.

    ORBIT CONTROL DEVICE AND SATELLITE
    7.
    发明申请

    公开(公告)号:US20170369192A1

    公开(公告)日:2017-12-28

    申请号:US15540726

    申请日:2016-01-06

    CPC classification number: B64G1/242 B64G1/244 B64G1/26 B64G2001/245 G05D1/08

    Abstract: A satellite comprises thrusters disposed with the firing directions each facing away from the mass center of satellite and different from each other. A control amount calculator calculates control amounts of the mean orbital elements from the mean orbital elements and the temporal change rates of the mean orbital elements set by an orbit determiner, and the target values. A distributor calculates firing timings and firing amounts of the thrusters for realizing the control amounts of the mean orbital elements by expressing a motion of satellite with orbital elements, solving an equation taking into account coupling of an out-of-plane motion and an in-plane motion due to thruster disposition angles and thruster firing amounts at multiple times, and combining one or more thruster firings controlling mainly an out-of-the-orbit-plane direction and one or more thruster firings controlling mainly an in-the-orbit-plane direction.

    Method and device for controlling satellite attitude and steering using a gyrodyne cluster
    10.
    发明申请
    Method and device for controlling satellite attitude and steering using a gyrodyne cluster 有权
    使用陀螺仪簇控制卫星姿态和转向的方法和装置

    公开(公告)号:US20040167683A1

    公开(公告)日:2004-08-26

    申请号:US10482031

    申请日:2003-12-29

    CPC classification number: B64G1/244

    Abstract: In order to control the attitude of a satellite having at least four gyroscopic actuators with respective spinners mounted on gimbals steerable about axes parallel to one or the other of only two different directions that are fixed relative to the satellite, the attitude of the satellite is measured using sensors on board the satellite, the control torque required to perform an attitude-changing maneuver is calculated, local linearization calculation is performed based on pseudo-inversion of the Jacobean matrix of the function associating the orientations of the actuator gimbals with the total kinetic moment of the cluster in order to determine a new gimbal orientation, and precession speeds of at least one of the gimbals of the actuators is controlled to deliver the control torque for reaching the desired configuration. The calculation is performed while applying a constraint of seeking a cluster configuration that is remote from singular configurations by sharing between the two groups of actuators that component of the total kinetic moment of the cluster which is perpendicular to both of the two directions.

    Abstract translation: 为了控制具有至少四个陀螺仪致动器的卫星的姿态,其中相应的旋转器安装在围绕平行于相对于卫星固定的仅两个不同方向中的一个或另一个的轴上的可转向的万向面上,测量卫星的姿态 使用卫星上的传感器,计算执行姿态改变机动所需的控制扭矩,基于使致动器万向节的方向与总动力矩相关联的函数的Jacobean矩阵的伪反演来执行局部线性化计算 以确定新的万向方向,并且控制致动器的至少一个万向节的进动速度以传递用于达到期望配置的控制扭矩。 在通过在两组致动器之间共享垂直于两个方向的总动力矩的分量的同时应用寻求远离单个配置的集群配置的约束来执行计算。

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