System and method for managing momentum accumulation
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsSadek W. Mansour, John D. Haskell, Andrew I. Mactavish
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Abstract
A system for managing momentum accumulation of a spacecraft in orbit may include a reaction wheel assembly for controlling an attitude of a body of a spacecraft, the body defining at least one face, and absorbing momentum, a plurality of arcjet thrusters coupled to the face to generate thrust, and a control processor coupled to the plurality of arcjet thrusters for controlling the thrust, wherein actuation of each arcjet thruster of the plurality of arcjet thrusters is configured to produce a net momentum accumulation in the reaction wheel assembly that is below a momentum saturation point of the reaction wheel assembly.
Claims22
A system for managing momentum accumulation of a spacecraft in orbit, said spacecraft comprising a body defining at least one face, said system comprising:
- a reaction wheel assembly for controlling an attitude of said body and absorbing momentum;
- a plurality of arcjet thrusters coupled to said face to generate thrust;
- and
- a control processor coupled to said plurality of arcjet thrusters for controlling said thrust, wherein said control processor is configured to:
- actuate at least one of said plurality of arcjet thrusters to generate a first thrust, said first thrust generating a first directional component of momentum about an axis of momentum;
- and
- actuate at least two of said plurality of arcjet thrusters to generate a second thrust, said second thrust generating a second directional component of momentum about said axis of momentum opposite to said first directional component of momentum,
- wherein a net momentum accumulated in said reaction wheel in response to said first thrust and said second thrust is maintained below a momentum saturation point of said reaction wheel assembly.
A method for managing momentum accumulation of a spacecraft in orbit, said method comprising:
- actuating, by way of a control processor, at least one of a plurality of arcjet thrusters to generate a first thrust, said first thrust generating a first directional component of momentum about an axis of momentum;
- actuating, by way of said control processor, at least two of said plurality of arcjet thrusters to generate a second thrust, said second thrust generating a second directional component of momentum about said axis of momentum opposite to said first directional component of momentum;
- accumulating momentum in a reaction wheel assembly in response to said first thrust and said second thrust;
- and maintaining a net momentum accumulation in said reaction wheel assembly below a momentum saturation point of said reaction wheel assembly.
A method for managing momentum accumulation of a spacecraft in orbit, said method comprising:
- actuating, by way of a control processor, a first arcjet thruster to generate a first thrust;
- increasing momentum accumulated in a reaction wheel assembly in response to a first directional component of momentum about an axis of momentum generated by said first thrust;
- actuating, by way of said control processor, a second arcjet thruster to generate a second thrust;
- and
- decreasing said momentum accumulated in said reaction wheel assembly in response to a second directional component of momentum about said axis of momentum generated by said second thrust,
- wherein a net momentum accumulation in said reaction wheel assembly is below a momentum saturation point of said reaction wheel assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.