Ecliptic sun acquisition control mode for satellites
AssigneeSpace Systems/Loral, Inc.
InventorJohn Hutton Cooper
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Techniques for orienting an earth-orbiting spacecraft include determining, using a star tracker on board the spacecraft, a first vector aligned between an ecliptic pole of the earth and the spacecraft, adjusting attitude of the spacecraft so as to align a first axis of the spacecraft with the first vector, and rotating the spacecraft about the first axis until presence of the sun is registered. Rotation rates may be subsequently reduced, such that the sun remains within a field of view of the sun sensor or of a solar array of the spacecraft.
Claims17
A method for orienting an earth-orbiting spacecraft, the method comprising:
- determining, using a star tracker on board the spacecraft, a first vector aligned between an ecliptic pole of the earth and the spacecraft;
- adjusting attitude of the spacecraft so as to align a first axis of the spacecraft with the first vector;
- rotating the spacecraft about the first axis until presence of the sun is registered;
- and
- reducing rotation rates of the spacecraft such that the sun remains within a field of view of a sun sensor or of a solar array of the spacecraft.
A spacecraft comprising a spacecraft controller and a star tracker, the spacecraft controller configured to:
- determine, using the star tracker, a first vector aligned between an ecliptic pole of the earth and the spacecraft;
- adjust attitude of the spacecraft so as to align a first axis of the spacecraft with the first vector;
- rotate the spacecraft about the first axis until presence of the sun is registered;
- and
- reduce rotation rates of the spacecraft such that the sun remains within a field of view of a sun sensor or of a solar array of the spacecraft.
A non-transitory computer readable medium having software stored thereon, the software including instructions for causing a spacecraft controller to:
- determine, using a star tracker, a first vector aligned between an ecliptic pole of the earth and a spacecraft including the spacecraft controller and the star tracker;
- adjust attitude of the spacecraft so as to align a first axis of the spacecraft with the first vector;
- rotate the spacecraft about the first axis until presence of the sun is registered;
- and
- reduce rotation rates of the spacecraft such that the sun remains within a field of view of a sun sensor or of a solar array of the spacecraft.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.