Outer space-based vehicle with a payload steering arrangement
AssigneeEagle Technology, LLC
InventorsGordon Chun Kong Wu, Robert Riley, Alan W. Mast, Brinnan C. Riley
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An outer space-based vehicle may include a spacecraft bus, a payload having a payload center of mass, and a gimbal coupled between the spacecraft bus and the payload. The gimbal may have a gimbal axis aligned with the payload center of mass, and is configured to selectively rotate the payload about the gimbal axis. At least one payload momentum wheel may be coupled to the gimbal at the gimbal axis, and configured to counteract angular torque which would otherwise be imparted to the spacecraft bus.
Claims29
An outer space-based vehicle comprising:
- a spacecraft bus;
- a payload having a payload center of mass;
- a gimbal coupled between the spacecraft bus and the payload to move the payload with respect to the spacecraft bus, the gimbal having a gimbal axis aligned with the payload center of mass and configured to selectively rotate the payload about the gimbal axis;
- and
- at least one payload momentum wheel coupled to the gimbal at the gimbal axis and configured to counteract angular torque which would otherwise be imparted to the spacecraft bus during movement of the payload with respect to the spacecraft bus.
A payload steering arrangement for an outer space-based vehicle comprising a spacecraft bus and the payload, the payload having a payload center of mass, the steering arrangement comprising:
- a gimbal to be coupled between the spacecraft bus and the payload to move the payload with respect to the spacecraft bus, the gimbal having a gimbal axis to be aligned with the payload center of mass and configured to selectively rotate the payload about the gimbal axis;
- and
- at least one payload momentum wheel coupled to the gimbal at the gimbal axis and configured to counteract angular torque which would otherwise be imparted to the spacecraft bus during movement of the payload with respect to the spacecraft bus.
A method for steering a payload for an outer space-based vehicle comprising a spacecraft bus and the payload, the payload having a payload center of mass, the method comprising:
- operating a gimbal coupled between the spacecraft bus and the payload to move the payload with respect to the spacecraft bus to selectively rotate the payload about a gimbal axis, with the gimbal axis being aligned with the payload center of mass;
- and
- operating at least one payload momentum wheel coupled to the gimbal at the gimbal axis to counteract angular torque which would otherwise be imparted to the spacecraft bus during movement of the payload with respect to the spacecraft bus.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.