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7464902 |
Satellite with electromagnetic control of objects
A satellite comprises a main body and, in orbit, at least one free object floating in space including a portion of the payload transferred from the main body. The free object is restricted to a...
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7367529 |
Momentum tube for distributed actuation
An spacecraft control system is provided that includes a tube and a plurality of microwheels. The plurality of microwheels is disposed within the tube. Each microwheel has a first stator wafer, a...
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6994296 |
Apparatus and method for maneuvering objects in low/zero gravity environments
An apparatus and method that make use of electromagnetic energy to maneuver an object, such as stop, slow, and/or divert a vessel or projectile in low and zero-gravity environments. The apparatus...
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6942186 |
Method and apparatus for propulsion and power generation using spinning electrodynamic tethers
The present invention improves the orbital maneuvering and power generation capabilities of a system of a satellite(s) connected with a conducting tether(s) by spinning the system about its mass...
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6850737 |
Antenna direction finding in mobile phones
The present invention describes a communication system comprising a primary radio station (PS) and at least one secondary radio station (SS), intended to be in motion (MOT). The secondary radio...
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6745984 |
Method of controlling the attitude and stabilization of a satellite in low orbit
For controlling the attitude of a satellite placed on a low earth orbit, components of a vector Bm of the earth's magnetic field along three measurement axes of a frame of reference bound with the...
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6732978 |
Combined propulsion system intended for a spacecraft
The invention relates to a combined propulsion system for a spacecraft, combining an electric propulsion system and a tether propulsion system, characterized in that the electric propulsion system...
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6685142 |
Three-axis position control for low-orbiting satellites
A three-axis attitude control for a low-orbiting satellite. A sensor which measures in two axes is a magnetometer, and a satellite is positioned on an inclined orbit at an inclination angle of...
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6634603 |
Magnetic dipole tractor beam control system
Spacecraft maneuvers (e.g., orbit transferring, stationkeeping and attitude controlling) of a first spacecraft are realized with conventional force and torque generators (e.g., thrusters and...
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6471161 |
Satellite attitude control system
An attitude control system uses a first order partial derivative of an error signal, representing a difference between a commanded pitch attitude and a sensed, actual pitch attitude. The first...
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6419191 |
Electrodynamic tether control
The present invention comprises apparatus and methods for using and controlling electrodynamic tethers. The apparatus taught by the present invention uses an interconnected multiwire (compared to...
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6371413 |
Artificial satellite equipped with generators of magnetic and aerodynamic moments and control process for such a satellite
Orientation system and process of an artificial satellite in low orbit. Aerodynamic control surfaces producing rotations of the satellite by upper-layer atmosphere are combined along two axes to...
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6356814 |
Spacecraft magnetic torquer feedback system
A magnetic torquer ( 10 ) for spacecraft attitude control, providing a torque that is controllable over an extended range greater than a normally used linear range, and thereby providing a higher...
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6317660 |
Method for using satellite state vector prediction to provide satellite sensor automatic scan inhibit and/or sensor switching
A method for use on a satellite that automatically inhibits scanning of an Earth sensor to handle sensor intrusions by the sun, moon, or other celestial bodies. In implementing the method, a...
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6292722 |
Magnetic torquer control with thruster augmentation
Apparatus and a method is presented for controlling yaw and roll excursions in a spacecraft having on-board components such as magnetic torquers, a roll thruster, momentum wheels, a wheel...
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6275751 |
Smart docking surface for space serviceable nano and micro satellites
A smart docking surface consisting of closely spaced cantilevered sensor/actuator structures capable of precisely repositioning an object having a ferro-magnetic surface in contact with the smart...
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6263264 |
Pseudo gyro with unmodeled disturbance torque estimation
A pseudo gyro emulates mechanical gyros by software processes by processing space system appendage measurement data and reaction wheel tachometer data within reference and control systems of a...
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6254036 |
Method and apparatus for spacecraft wheel desaturation
A method and apparatus are provided that effect spacecraft wheel desaturation by controlling the magnetic torquers aboard the spacecraft. An attitude control system energizes a magnetic torquer...
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6231011 |
Satellite angular momentum control system using magnet-superconductor flywheels
A torque/reactive momentum wheel control system for use in satellites for dynamic attitude maintenance and alteration where the flywheel of each momentum wheel is levitated by a high-temperature...
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6163021 |
Navigation system for spinning projectiles
A navigation system for spinning projectiles using a magnetic spin sensor to measure the projectile roll angle by sensing changes in magnetic flux as the projectile rotates through the earth's...
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6141606 |
Wheel speed control system for spacecraft with rejection of null space wheel momentum
A spacecraft attitude control system uses at least four reaction wheels In order to minimize reaction wheel speed and therefore power, a wheel speed control means system is provided. The wheel...
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6138061 |
Onboard orbit propagation using quaternions
A method for controlling orbiting spacecraft uploads a plurality of parameters to an onboard processor, the parameters including a plurality of quaternion elements describing an inertial to orbit...
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6128556 |
CMG control based on angular momentum to control satellite attitude
Control moment gyros in an array are rotated to reorient a satellite. Gyro angle is selected from one of three values based upon whether the stored angular momentum for the desired angle is below a...
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6116544 |
Electrodynamic tether and method of use
The present invention comprises an electrodynamic tether structure and a method of use. The structure of the tether taught by the present invention is a short, wide, interconnected multiwire...
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6113034 |
Method and apparatus for estimating effects of disturbance forces
The attitude of a physical platform (62) is altered by a summation of forces from an attitude actuator (74), disturbance forces (80) and random noise (82). Attitude sensors (64) sense the attitude...
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6108593 |
Method and apparatus for estimating attitude sensor bias in a satellite
A method and apparatus for estimating attitude sensor bias in a satellite system uses attitude sensors and a spacecraft control processor. Attitude sensors provide output signals, which may contain...
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6098930 |
Solid-state spacecraft with minimal moving parts
A compact spacecraft (10, 22) having a potentially long life in orbit as a result of its use of non-moving and solid-state components entirely or wherever possible. Amorphous silicon arrays (14,...
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6089510 |
Magnetic systems and methods for realizing spacecraft maneuvers
Spacecraft maneuvers (e.g., orbit transferring, stationkeeping and attitude controlling) of a first spacecraft are realized with conventional force and torque generators (e.g., thrusters and...
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6089509 |
Spacecraft attitude control using electrical power subsystem
A spacecraft (10) body (20) located in an external magnetic field (12) has a substantially unbalanced electrical power bus (18) that generates a composite local magnetic field The electrical power...
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6082677 |
Satellite orbiting toward west in the equatorial plane and meteorological satellite system using the satellite
Achieved herein is a satellite capable of readily obtaining in a short time span a continuous image of the whole earth by a single unit of the satellite alone, the westward equatorial satellite...
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6076772 |
Methods for controlling spacecraft attitudes without exciting spacecraft resonances
Attitude-control methods are provided which eliminate or reduce structural resonances in spacecraft that are excited by momentum wheel imperfections. The methods are preferably practiced with an...
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6020956 |
Pseudo gyro
A pseudo gyro emulates mechanical gyros by software processes by processing space system appendage measurement data and reaction wheel tachometer data within reference and control systems of a...
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5957410 |
Earth oriented satellite and process for controlling the position, nutation and spin
A low earth orbiting satellite control arrangement according to the invention has an earth sensor for measuring roll and pitch of the satellite relative to an earth oriented moving reference...
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5906339 |
Multiple axis solar sailing
In a satellite (20), two-axis solar panel drives (56, 58) allow two degrees of rotational freedom of movement for solar panels (22, 24). Regulation of electrical current loops (46, 48) within the...
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5865402 |
Triaxially stabilized, earth-oriented satellite and corresponding sun and earth acquisition process using a magnetometer
A triaxially stabilized earth oriented satellite is provided with an attitude control system. The attitude control system contains a controller, final control elements for generating control...
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5788189 |
Spacecraft and an attitude control method for a spacecraft
A spacecraft is provided which has an environmental disturbance torque filter that predicts the environmental disturbance torque acting on the spacecraft, and an unloading control section 5 which...
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5788188 |
Control of the attitude of a satellite in low orbit involving solar acquisition
For controlling the attitude of the body of an earth satellite placed on a low orbit, values of components of the geomagnetic field of the earth are measured along three axes of a frame of...
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5787368 |
Spacecraft yaw control using only wheel speed measurements processed through a simple filter bank
An attitude or orientation control system for spacecraft that provides for yaw axis error reduction and momentum dumping using a simple calculation involving only the momentum wheel speeds as input...
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5752675 |
Thruster control of yaw without yaw measurements
An automatic, on-board system for orbiting spacecraft that controls yaw excursions caused by solar torques and thruster firings, which system combines inputs indicative of roll and yaw momentum...
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5702067 |
Method and apparatus for determining the angular momentum vector of a satellite
The invention relates to a method for determining the angular momentum vector of a satellite, located in an external magnetic field, relative to a satellite-integral orthogonal system of...
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5540405 |
Method and apparatus for compensating for magnetic disturbance torques on a satellite
This invention discloses a method for compensating for the disturbance torque on an orbiting satellite (10) from the interference of the earth's magnetic field lines with particular current loops...
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5413293 |
Magnetic torque attitude control systems
A magnetic torquing system for a spacecraft using conducting coils is disclosed. In one embodiment, the conductors (44, 46) on a spacecraft's (10) solar wing (28, 30) which connect the solar cell...
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5354016 |
Pivoted wheel roll control with automatic offset
A 3-axis stabilized spacecraft includes roll and yaw magnetic torquers, and a momentum wheel oriented with its spin axis orthogonal to, and pivotable about, the roll axis. Roll control may be...
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5279483 |
Attitude control system for a three-axis stabilized satellite especially a remote sensing satellite
An attitude control device for a three-axis stabilized satellite in terrestrial orbit embodies an attitude sensing system adapted to deliver roll, yaw and pitch attitude signals, a set of at least...
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5259577 |
Attitude control system for three-axis stabilized satellite in near-equatorial orbit
A roll/yaw attitude control system for a three-axis stabilized satellite in an at least approximately Equatorial orbit embodies a processor circuit connected between a roll, yaw and pitch attitude...
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5248118 |
Spacecraft attitude control system with reaction wheel bearing protection
A spacecraft includes an attitude control system using one or more reaction wheels, the speed of which from time to time lie near and pass through zero angular velocity. When operated for extended...
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5158250 |
Spin-stabilized artificial satellite with passive compensation of solar radiation pressure
A satellite adapted to be stabilized in terrestrial orbit by rotation about an axis oriented at least approximately NORTH-SOUTH has on its external wall a solar generator composed of a plurality of...
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5141180 |
Satellite attitude control system using a superconducting magnetic loop
A satellite comprising a deployable solar generator that can be oriented relative to the satellite body is kept facing the sun at all times. It includes an attitude stabilization device comprising...
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5123617 |
Spacecraft momentum unloading using controlled magnetic torques
A method for maintaining the attitude of a three-axis controlled satellite by use of magnetic torquers includes using magnetometers for measuring the direction of the ambient geomagnetic field. The...
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5047945 |
Residual magnetic dipole cancellation system for satellites
The magnitude and direction of the residual magnetic field or dipole of an orbiting spacecraft is estimated from the attitude-perturbing effects of its interaction with the magnetic field of the...
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