System and method for attitude control and station keeping
OwnerPeter J. Schubertinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method for supplying thrust to a structure, such as a satellite or spacecraft, for the purposes of station keeping and attitude control of the structure in low-gravity (orbital) and zero-gravity environments. The system includes devices for emitting energy beams and targets impacted by the energy beams to cause ablation of the targets. The beam-emitting devices and targets are adapted to cooperate and cause the structure to selectively undergo translational and/or rotational motion in reaction to the motion of material ablated from the targets. The position, alignment, and/or attitude of the structure can thereby be controlled in a zero or low-gravity environment by selectively emitting the energy beams at the targets.
Claims38
An apparatus comprising a structure, support means extending from the structure, and a system for controlling at least one of the position, alignment, and attitude of the structure in a zero or low-gravity environment, the system comprising targets and means for emitting energy beams directly at surfaces of the targets whereby the targets are impacted by the energy beams to cause ablation of the targets, wherein at least one of the emitting means and the targets is mounted to the support means so as to be positioned apart from the structure, and wherein the system further comprises means for causing the emitting means and the targets to cooperate and selectively induce translation and rotation motion of the structure in any of six independent degrees of freedom in reaction to motion of material ablated from the targets.
An apparatus comprising:
- a structure;
- support means extending from the structure;
- and
- a system for controlling at least one of the position, alignment, and attitude of the structure in a zero or low-gravity environment, the system comprising:
- targets;
- means for emitting energy beams at the targets whereby surfaces of the targets are impacted by the energy beams to cause ablation of the targets;
- means for causing the emitting means and the targets to cooperate and selectively induce translation and rotation motion of the structure in any of six independent degrees of freedom in reaction to motion of material ablated from the targets, wherein the causing means comprises means for adjustably aiming and firing of the emitting means;
- wherein at least one of the emitting means and the targets is mounted to the support means so as to be positioned apart from the structure;
- and
- wherein at least some of the surfaces of the targets are curve-shaped such that some of the material ablated from each of the targets travels away from the emitting means from which the impacting energy beam is emitted.
A method for controlling at least one of the position, alignment, and attitude of an apparatus located in a zero or low-gravity environment and comprising a structure and support means extending therefrom, the method comprising the steps of mounting targets to at least one of the structure and the support means, emitting energy beams directly at the targets from at least one of the structure and the support means so that the energy beams impact the targets and cause ablation of the targets to selectively induce translation and rotation motion of the structure in any of six independent degrees of freedom in reaction to motion of material ablated from the targets.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.