Space transfer vehicle
AssigneeTRW Inc.
InventorsMichael E. Draznin, Roy K. Tsugawa
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A space transfer vehicle has a plurality of thrusters for maneuvering in six degrees of freedom about three orthogonal vehicle axes. The space transfer vehicle includes four box-like thruster modules which each house an identically arranged plurality of thrusters. The thrusters are selectively energized in pairs to produce torque about the three orthogonal axes with a first magnitude for maneuvering the space transfer vehicle without a payload, and of a second magnitude for maneuvering the space transfer vehicle with a payload.
Claims19
A space transfer vehicle having a front end and an aft end and having pitch, roll, and yaw axes, and a longitudinal axis coincident with the roll axis, the pitch and yaw axes being generally symmetrical with the geometry of the space transfer vehicle, the space transfer vehicle being operative for maneuvering both with and without a payload and comprising:
- means for maneuvering said space transfer vehicle negatively and positively about said pitch and yaw axes, said means for maneuvering being operative in a first mode when said space transfer vehicle is attached to a payload and a second mode when said space transfer vehicle is operated independently from a payload, said means for maneuvering comprising a plurality of substantially identical, non-throttable thrusters, said thrusters being operative to be fired in pairs to produce a desired torque;
- and
- control means operable for selectively energizing a pair of said substantially identical thrusters simultaneously to selectively produce a pair of parallel axes of thrust, thereby resulting in said desired torques;
- wherein said pair of parallel axes of thrust are spaced apart a first distance when said means for maneuvering is in said first mode, and a second distance when said means for maneuvering is in said second mode, said first distance being greater than said second distance.
A space transfer vehicle for maneuvering with respect to pitch, yaw and roll axes, having a longitudinal axis coincident with the roll axis, an outer surface substantially symmetrical about the pitch and yaw axes, a front end and an aft end, the space transfer vehicle comprising:
- a plurality of substantially identical non-throttleable thrusters;
- control means operable to selectively energize two or more substantially identical non-throttleable thrusters simultaneously to thereby produce first, second, third and fourth pitch torques about said pitch axes, and first, second, third and fourth yaw torques about said yaw axis;
- said first and second pitch torques each having a first magnitude, and being opposite in direction;
- said third and fourth pitch torques each having a second magnitude, and being opposite in direction, said second magnitude being different than said first magnitude;
- said first and second yaw torques each having a third magnitude, and being opposite in direction;
- and
- said third and fourth yaw torques each having a fourth magnitude, and being opposite in direction, said third magnitude being different than said fourth magnitude.
A space transfer vehicle having a front end and an aft end and having pitch, roll and yaw axes, the space transfer vehicle having a longitudinal axis coincident with the roll axis, and an outer surface substantially symmetrical about the pitch and yaw axis, the space transfer vehicle comprising:
- a plurality of box-like thruster modules having first and second laterally spaced apart sides, a front side, a rear side and a top;
- a plurality of thrusters mounted in each of said plurality of thruster modules;
- and
- control means operable for selectively energizing at least two thruster simultaneously to thereby selectively produce negative and positive pitch torques of first and second magnitudes, said first magnitude being different from said second magnitude, and negative and positive yaw torques of third and fourth magnitudes, said third magnitude being different than said fourth magnitude.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.