Magnetic torquing system for changing the spin rate of an orbiting satellite
AssigneeRCA Corporation
InventorsLudwig Muhlfelder, Robert Benson Hogan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The angular momentum of a tumbling orbiting satellite is changed to reduce the spinning of the spacecraft such that the spacecraft can operate in an essentially stabilized condition. The change in spin rate is accomplished by the development of a magnetic torque by commutation of magnetic air coils in response to earth sensor signals controlled by spacecraft logic. The coils are disposed to produce magnetic dipoles transverse to the satellite spin axis such that by interacting with the earth's magnetic field a torque is developed in a direction opposite the spin vector. The logic selects the proper magnetic dipole based upon data from sensors detecting the presence of the earth for the development of the desired magnetic torque.
Claims18
A magnetic torquing system in a closed-loop system in a spacecraft orbiting a celestial body for automatically changing the spacecraft angular momentum about the spin axis to thereby control the spin rate of the spacecraft, said celestial body having an ambient magnetic field, comprising:
- a. magnetic torquing means oriented in said spacecraft to produce when energized a magnetic dipole substantially transverse to the spin axis of said spacecraft;
- b. celestial body sensor means mounted on said spacecraft for sensing the celestial body including means for orienting said spin axis substantially colinear with the line of sight axis of said sensor means for symmetrical scanning of said celestial body, said sensor means generating in response to the detection of the celestial body an output signal;
- c. logic means coupled to said sensor means for generating in response to said sensor output signal a logic output signal, said logic output signal representing a selected desired magnetic dipole configuration;
- and
- d. energizing means coupled to said logic means for generating in response to said logic output signal a signal for energizing said magnetic torquing means such that the magnetic dipole generated therefrom reacts with the magnetic field of the celestial body to produce a magnetic torque along the spin axis of said spacecraft to change the spacecraft angular momentum and thereby the spin rate of said spacecraft.
A method for magnetically torquing in a closed-loop system a spacecraft orbiting a celestial body to automatically change the spacecraft angular momentum about the spin axis to thereby control the spin rate of the spacecraft, said celestial body having an ambient magnetic field, comprising the steps of:
- a. sensing said celestial body by sensor means oriented on said spacecraft such that said spin axis is substantially colinear with the line of sight axis of said sensor means, said sensor means generating in response to the detection of the celestial body an output signal;
- b. generating in response to said sensor output signal a logic output signal by logic means coupled to said sensor means, said logic output signal representing a selected desired magnetic dipole configuration;
- c. generating in response to said logic output signal a signal for energizing magnetic torquing means by energizing means coupled to said logic means;
- and
- d. magnetically torquing said spacecraft by energizing said torquing means to produce a magnetic dipole to react with the magnetic field of said celestial body to generate a torque along the spin axis of the spacecraft to change the spacecraft angular momentum and thereby the spin rate of said spacecraft.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.