Modular divert and attitude control system
AssigneeRaytheon Company
InventorsThomas A. Olden, Robert J. Cavalleri
Life of this patent
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Abstract
There is disclosed a vehicle and methods for maneuvering the vehicle. The vehicle may include a plurality of multiple-impulse rocket motors, each of which comprises a plurality of independently ignitable solid fuel propellant charges, and a processor that generates at least one command to ignite at least one solid fuel propellant charge of at least one of the plurality of multiple-impulse rocket motors.
Claims17
A vehicle, comprising:
- a plurality of multiple-impulse rocket motors, each of which comprises a plurality of independently ignitable solid fuel propellant charges;
- and
- a processor that generates at least one command to ignite at least one solid fuel propellant charge of at least one of the plurality of multiple-impulse rocket motors.
A method of controlling the trajectory of a vehicle, comprising:
- determining a thrust required to effect a change from a present trajectory to a desired trajectory;
- selecting one or more solid fuel propellant charges collectively adapted to produce the required thrust;
- and
- igniting the one or more selected solid fuel propellant charges, wherein
- each selected solid fuel propellant charge is one of a plurality of solid fuel propellant charges within one of a plurality of multiple-impulse rocket motors.
A method of maneuvering a vehicle having a plurality of multiple-impulse rocket motors disposed to control a trajectory and an attitude of the vehicle, each multiple-impulse rocket motor including a plurality of independently-ignitable solid fuel charges, the method comprising:
- determining a thrust required to effect a required change in at least one of the trajectory of the vehicle and the attitude of the vehicle;
- selecting one or more solid fuel propellant charges collectively adapted to produce the required thrust;
- and
- igniting the one or more selected solid fuel propellant charges.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.