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US 6,445,981 B1Granted
Controller and control method for satellite orbit-keeping maneuvers
AssigneeSpace Systems/Loral, Inc.
InventorsJohn S. Higham, Keith Reckdahl
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A controller and control method that perform satellite orbit-keeping maneuvers and proportionally scale orbit-keeping pulses to automatically minimize disturbance torques on-board a satellite. The controller and control method may also be used to remove residual momentum stored in spinning momentum wheels.
Claims12
A control method for performing satellite orbit-keeping maneuvers comprising the steps of:
- configuring a satellite having a body with a plurality of thrusters disposed on predetermined faces thereof that are used to maneuver the satellite, and a controller comprising a look-up table that contains data that defines which of the thrusters, and in which proportion, are to be used to perform a specified maneuver;
- launching the satellite into orbit around a body;
- controlling the plurality of thrusters using the controller to produce orbit-keeping Δv burns that change the orbit of the satellite, and produce orbit-keeping pulses that are scaled proportionally to minimize disturbance torques on-board the satellite, and thus control satellite orbit-keeping maneuvers.
Apparatus for use on a satellite having a body, a plurality of thrusters disposed on predetermined faces thereof that are used to maneuver the satellite, comprising:
- a controller comprising a look-up table that contains data that defines which of the thrusters, and in which proportion, are to be used to perform a specified maneuver, which controller controls the plurality of thrusters to produce orbit-keeping Δv burns that change the orbit of the satellite, and controls the thrusters to produce orbit-keeping pulses that are scaled proportionally to minimize disturbance torques on-board the satellite, and thus control satellite orbit-keeping maneuvers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.