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US 11,142,348 B2Granted
Solar sail for orbital maneuvers
AssigneeL'Garde, Inc.
InventorsNathaniel C. Barnes, Darren D. Garber
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A solar sail includes a bus and a plurality of separate movable vanes coupled to the bus. Each movable vane includes a reflective surface for generating solar radiation pressure and propel the solar sail in space. Each vane may be movable relative to the bus in a fully deployed configuration such that an amount of thrust generated by solar radiation pressure on each vane is controllable.
Claims20
A solar sail, comprising:
- a bus;
- and
- a plurality of separate vanes movably coupled to the bus by a plurality of movable couplings, each of the plurality of separate vanes defining a reflective surface for using solar radiation pressure to propel the solar sail in space, and each of the movable coupling between each of the plurality of separate vanes and the bus each defines a rotational degree of freedom having an axis of rotation through a center of symmetry of each of the plurality of separate vanes.
A solar sail, comprising:
- a bus;
- and
- a first vane rotationally coupled to the bus to define a first rotational degree of freedom having a first rotational axis through a first center of symmetry of the first vane and through the bus, the first vane having a first reflective surface for using solar radiation pressure to propel the solar sail in space;
- and
- a second vane rotationally coupled to the bus to define a second rotational degree of freedom having a second rotational axis through a second center of symmetry of the second vane and through the bus, the second vane having a second reflective surface for using solar radiation pressure to propel the solar sail in space.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.